Love and War
by Goddess Evie
Summary: Jessie and Estella arrive in Prague to attend President Stasny's Christmas party with the Quests. But at the party Jessie is taken and the Quest team must hunt down whoever did it if they ever want to get her back. J/JHR
1. Chapter 1

Title: _Love and War_ , 1/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: October 1, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Notes: Before I say anything else: No, this is not the final installment of _Red Headed Goddess_. Sorry for those who were wanting that fic. It's not yet fully formed in my head, and if I tried to write it, it would end up complete trash. So please be patient with me. But I do have this new fic to debut for you guys. And here's the REALLY fun part: it's already fully written and mostly edited. So there won't be any update gaps (there shouldn't be any update gaps ~_^). I'll be updating Saturdays and Wednesdays. And by my calculations (if there are no delays) it should take 3.5 months to post the whole thing on that schedule, so the final chapter will be uploaded some time mid-January. I hope to do the same thing with RHG3, because I want that fic to be absolutely perfect for you guys. So give me time to brainstorm more, outline, write and edit (and no, no time frame there, sorry). In the meantime, enjoy this offering. I'm pretty proud of it and I hope you'll enjoy it.

Chapter 1

Jessie studied the city of Prague, with its blanket of glittering snow, through the windows of the Vaclav Havel airport. The morning sky was a brilliant blue over the white frosted city and Jessie could almost believe she'd traveled to some fairytale land with Prague castle standing tall in the midst of the historic architecture.

"I've forgotten how beautiful this city is," Estella commented.

Jessie smiled at her mom. "I'm glad you came. You needed a break from South America. And a little snow will be good for you."

Estella laughed. "We get plenty of snow in South America, thank you very much."

 _But it doesn't have Jonny._

And currently, Prague did.

Jessie pushed those thoughts and their implications away before they showed on her face.

"You'll love Prague during the Christmas season, though we're a little late," Estella said as they turned the corner to the security checkpoint.

Jessie's smile widened as she spotted her dad waiting on the other side. She looked around and beyond him, but he'd come alone. Still, after two weeks of not seeing Race, she had to stifle the urge to break into a run. She could tell the moment he caught sight of her. A smile lit up his face.

The moment she and Estella passed the checkpoint, Jessie quickened her pace until she was hugging her dad. He squeezed her as tightly as she squeezed him and her feet came off the ground.

"Ponchita, I missed you," he whispered in her ear.

"I missed you too, dad," Jessie replied.

Race set her back on her feet and released her enough to look at her.

"You had a good flight?" he asked.

"Not a bit of turbulence. Slept most of the way," Jessie answered.

He pulled her close again to press a kiss to her hair.

"You're such a worrywart," Jessie teased.

"I just worry when I'm not the one piloting," Race said.

He looked down into her green eyes with his steel blue ones and they shared a solemn look.

"That happened one time, dad," Jessie said softly.

"One time too many," Race replied just as softly.

Jessie hugged him again, cheek to his chest. She could feel the rumble as he spoke to her mom.

"Estella, I'm glad you could come," Race greeted civilly.

"President Stasny's invitation was an honor too good to resist," Estella answered just as civilly. Then her tone turned more playful. "And apparently I needed to get out of South America."

Jessie shared a smile with her mom.

"No better place to do that than Prague, I suppose," Race said, positioning Jessie by his side, arm still around her, as he turned away from the checkpoint. "Let's get your luggage. Everyone's excited to see you both."

Jessie's heart quickened at her dad's words and she took a deep breath to calm it again. Together the three headed through the crowds toward the luggage carousel.

"How was your Christmas?" Jessie asked her dad.

"Uneventful, just the way I like them," Race answered. "And a little lonely," he added, giving her another squeeze. "How was yours?"

"It was good. I'd forgotten how crazy about Christmas _Abuelita_ is," Jessie joked.

"It's a good thing you came this year. Mama would have disowned me if you'd spent a fourth Christmas in America," Estella chimed in.

Jessie blushed with remorse. "I spent my entire stay apologizing to her."

"And being spoiled by her," Estella countered. "She really misses you."

"It was really good to see her and the rest of the family," Jessie assured her mom.

"And you promised to spend time with them this summer before heading off to college," Estella added.

Jessie looked at her mom with a grin. "Do you need me to promise to keep that promise?"

Estella shook her head. "No. I know you mean it."

A glimpse at her dad as they arrived at the carousel showed Race was smiling—genuinely smiling.

 _Maybe we can actually get through this visit without them fighting,_ she thought to herself.

* * *

Twenty minutes later they were exiting the airport with their luggage in tow. The crisp air invigorated Jessie as it hit her and brought color to her mom's cheeks. Around them, the foreign Czech language flew through the air, piquing Jessie's innate curiosity and love of languages.

"You packed light," Race commented, pulling Jessie's attention back to him.

"It's a short trip," Jessie reminded, her breath puffing out in a white fog as she spoke. "We'll only be here a couple of days."

"Where'd you stow all the Christmas presents your _Abuelita_ spoiled you with?" Race asked.

"They're on their way to Maine," Jessie said. "We shipped them home. There was no way we were going to lug that haul all the way to Prague."

Race chuckled as he led the way to a town car with tinted windows and little Czech flags at the corners of the hood and trunk. The engine was still running to keep the interior warm. The driver stood next to the vehicle, his gloved hands folded in front of him.

"What's this?" Estella asked, sounding impressed.

"President Stasny insisted," Race explained. He winked at Jessie. "Apparently a national hero must ride in style."

"That was very kind of her," Estella said as the driver opened the door and waited for Jessie and Estella to enter.

Race helped the man load the bags into the trunk before joining mother and daughter in the backseat. The driver climbed behind the wheel and the vehicle pulled away from the curb, slushing in the snow thick on the street.

Jessie watched her dad in the sudden quiet of the car. He'd chosen the seat facing opposite Jessie and Estella. His gaze swung back and forth, watching the view beyond the side and rear windows.

"How did President Stasny convince you to take a driver?" Jessie asked her dad with a teasing smile.

Race's face contorted with exaggerated annoyance. "She's president of the whole country. It's hard to say no to her."

Jessie laughed, but a moment later she was checking the view herself, and not totally for the sites themselves.

"Well between the two of you, I certainly feel safe," Estella commented good-naturedly.

Jessie flashed her mother a smile before turning back to the window. She paid more attention to the scenery, her heart growing more fluttery as they approached Prague Castle where President Stasny awaited them.

 _And Dr. Quest. Hadji. Jonny._

 _Jonny._

Jessie had to fight to keep the smile off her face and her nerves at bay. She closed her eyes as she considered the way things had been developing between her and her best friend.

 _Jessie sighed as she leaned her head against her locker in the emptiness of an after school hallway. Five minutes ago she'd been sitting with Jonny and a group of their friends. But she couldn't stick around and watch another girl flirt with him. And even worse, watch him flirt back._

 _But mostly she couldn't handle the jealousy she felt. It was time to do something about it. Either she was going to have to somehow accept that Jonny didn't feel the same about her, or she was going to have to be honest with him._

 _But did Jonny feel the same way? If he did, wouldn't he have shown her? Wouldn't he have flirted with her the way he flirted so easily with all the other girls who batted their eyelashes at him?_

 _But he'd been a little distant lately, not spending as much time with her. Almost avoiding her, it seemed._

 _Exhaling loudly, Jessie lifted her head and twirled the dial on her locker. She let her backpack fall from her shoulder and to the floor, then squatted down to rifle through her text books and binders as she considered what she would need for homework that night._

 _Maybe she should finally say yes to Brandon. He'd been getting pretty bold in his flirting. He'd even asked her out a couple of times. She'd given him excuses to be nice. But perhaps next time-_

" _Hey Jess, there you are."_

 _Jessie looked up and swallowed. Jonny walked toward her down the tiled hallway._

" _You left without saying anything. Everything okay?"_

 _Jessie stood again and began shoving books into her locker while she tried to settle the butterflies in her stomach._

" _Yeah, I just have a lot of homework I need to get done tonight."_ And I couldn't watch you and Melody fall all over each other.

 _Jonny leaned on his shoulder against the locker next to hers, watching her exchange books and notebooks. "Great. I was hoping you'd help me with my trig homework."_

" _Aren't you going over to Melody's this afternoon?" Jessie scolded herself for the coldness in her voice._ Keep it under control, Bannon.

" _I have no desire to spend the afternoon, or any afternoon, with Melody," Jonny groaned._

 _Jessie peeked at him. "She's really into you."_

" _And she's just like any other girl I've dated. And I'm sick of those girls," Jonny stated._

 _Jessie grabbed her winter coat from the hook slowly, closed her locker softly and swung her backpack up to her shoulder. She couldn't look at Jonny straight on. "How come you're suddenly so adverse to their company?"_

 _Jonny shrugged, still leaning against the locker. "I'm tired of being nice to girls I have no interest in. Girls I've really just been wasting my time with. I mean, you're always telling me I'm too nice. So, I guess I'm finally taking your advice."_

" _Took you long enough," Jessie joked, finally turning away from her locker._

" _And besides," he paused to catch her eye, hold it for a heartbeat like he was trying to make sure she got his message, "I've already got the most amazing girl in the world to spend my afternoons with. Why would I give that up?"_

 _Jessie couldn't believe what she'd just heard. Nor could she believe her reaction to it: the silly smile, glancing at her feet, her reddened cheeks. She reigned herself in again, but when she looked up at Jonny he was smiling at her—a secret smile he'd never bestowed on any of those other girls. A smile just for her._

" _So, Trig, huh?" she asked, adjusting her backpack and heading down the hallway._

 _Jonny fell into step beside her, slinging an arm around her shoulders and pulling her against him. "Yeah, the final in a couple of weeks is gonna be killer."_


	2. Chapter 2

Title: _Love and War_ , 2/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: October 5, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Notes: To those who left me reviews as guests, I wanted to say thank you, since I can't reply to guest reviews. I appreciate every little kind word I receive (and I do try to personally respond to all signed reviews I receive). Now I need to make up for forgetting the people who helped make this fic as amazing as it is (since I should have acknowledged them in chapter 1!). First of all, cubbiesfan1 helped so much with all of the weapons, fight scenes, etc (yes, there will be plenty of those. Don't worry. It's coming.) Without her, those scenes would not have been as accurate or exciting as they turned out. Any inaccuracies (or lack of excitement) are all my fault. Secondly, TJ12398 was a big help with the more romantic, flirty scenes (If you're reading _I Would do Anything for You_ , you know what I mean). Those scenes are immensely more satisfying thanks to TJ. I have a lot to learn from you! Thank you both so much for taking the time to read over sections and give suggestions. I seriously couldn't have pulled off this fic as well as I did without your guys' help!

Okay, on to the fic!

Chapter 2

The car door opened and a blast of icy air rushed into the town car's warm interior, cooling the heat in Jessie's cheeks. Jessie stepped out, nodding and smiling to the driver, followed by her mom. Race climbed out last of all, a very physical presence behind mother and daughter.

"When I was studying abroad here in college, I never thought I'd be invited to stay at Prague castle," Estella murmured, gazing up at the soaring towers.

The driver, currently unloading their bags, had brought them right up to the front gate. Two guards dressed for the cold weather stood in front of blue and white striped guard shacks. The shacks stood in front of two huge, square, stone columns topped by statues depicting men in primitive battle. An arch of gilded wrought iron scrolls stretched between the two columns. Beyond the gate, the castle rose into the blue sky.

"The inside's just as impressive," Race said as he ushered the women through the gate just as a second town car pulled up behind theirs. "President Stasny has been redecorating recently, updating the interior to make it more comfortable while keeping the historic designs intact. I think you'll like it."

"What's she doing about the catacombs?" Jessie asked as they passed under a second smaller and simpler stone gate.

"I didn't ask," Race admitted. "But Jonny did."

Jessie ignored the skip in her heart at the mention of her best friend and focused on her dad's words.

"And?" Estella pressed.

"She's having them very carefully explored and mapped out," Race said with a knowing tone to his voice as the trio finally entered the castle.

"I'm sure if you ask, President Stasny would allow you to take a tour," Jessie said, grinning.

"Who wants my permission for a tour? A tour of what?" Alena Stasny interjected as she descended on the trio.

Jessie smiled at the stately woman. It had been a few years since Jessie had last visited Prague, but President Stasny hadn't lost one iota of her beauty.

The Madame President took Jessie's hands in her own. "It is a treat to have you visiting again, Jessie. I was elated when Angel assured me you were coming for the Christmas party tonight."

Jessie's smile increased at President Stasny's use of her nickname for Jonny. "It's an honor to be in your beautiful city again, Madame President."

"No need to be so formal, Jessie. Please call me Alena. Now introduce me to your mother," President Stasny requested.

Jessie turned to her mom. "Mom, this is Alena Stasny, Madame President of the Czech Republic," Jessie introduced. "Madame President-Alena, meet my mother. Dr. Estella Velasquez. She's an archeologist specializing in South American cultures, but she'd really like to see the catacombs beneath the palace."

"Jessie, she said to introduce me, not give my resume," Estella chided.

"A daughter is allowed to be proud of her mother," President Stasny said, taking Estella's hands in both of hers. "And it is a pleasure to meet the mother of quite a remarkable young woman."

"Thank you, Madame President-" Estella began before she was cut off.

"Jessie, Estella, you've finally arrived!" Dr. Quest boomed.

Jessie couldn't help the way her smile deepened or control her racing heart. She turned to immediately be pulled into an embrace by Dr. Quest. An embrace Jessie whole heartedly returned.

"I'm glad to see you've both arrived safely. I hope your journey was uneventful," Benton said as he loosened his hold on Jessie to give her one of his warm smiles before he released her to properly greet her mom.

Hadji was right behind his dad, pulling her into another hug.

"We have missed you, my friend. The holidays were not the same without your presence," Hadji said quietly into her ear before releasing her.

For just a moment their eyes met, an intense moment Hadji used to silently convey that by "we" he had really meant…

Jonny. Standing in front of her. His summer blue eyes staring into hers. Wearing the lop-sided grin that made her stomach flip flop. He crushed her to him and her heart stopped for the length of three beats as she breathed deeply of him.

She wanted to stay here forever. Or at least for a few moments longer. But her heart needed to start beating again. And she hadn't forgotten that President Stasny, her parents, Dr. Quest and Hadji were all standing right there. Neither had Jonny. They let each other go at the same time, their arms dropping to their sides, but not before he whispered, "It's good to see you, Ace," oh so softly.

They took just another moment to stare at each other, sharing a secret smile, before Jessie turned and Jonny moved past her to greet her mom.

And all Jessie wanted to do was pull him back to her, leave their families and friends behind and run off to spend the day with him. Just him.

Instead she reveled in the lesser but still filling joy of having all her family together. It wasn't often her mom visited, and though she knew there was the chance her parents would ruin it with their petty fights, it was a risk Jessie was always willing to take.

It also helped that as Jonny joined the conversation between Estella, Hadji and Dr. Quest, he kept glancing over at her. And every time he did Jessie had to fight the blush threatening her cheeks.

"Madame President, a moment please," a heavily accented voice interrupted the happy conversation.

President Stasny turned, along with the combined Quests and Bannons, to the man who stood stiffly awaiting her.

"Baron Reznicek has inquiries as to his lodgings," the man stated at the same moment a group of people entered the door accompanied by a cloud of winter air.

In the lead was a man in his early twenties, olive skin smooth over an attractive face, eyes glittering darkly as he looked about the hall, dark hair perfectly coifed. He was striking, for sure, but noting that was more of a fact for Jessie than an opinion. Those around him were more like the man who had interrupted the conversation: stiff, alert. Bodyguards.

"Baron Reznicek, I didn't think you were going to make it back for the celebration tonight," President Stasny greeted as she shook the man's hand.

Jessie stepped forward to stand by her dad as she watched the exchange.

"I was fortunate enough to get away earlier than I thought. I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something? Kladivo, where are your manners?" the baron chided.

"My apologies, Baron, I meant only to serve you," the man replied with a slight bow.

"It's alright, Baron. We were just catching up. These are dear friends of mine. Benton Quest and his sons, Jonny and Hadji." As President Stasny introduced everyone, the baron shook their hands. "And this is Race Bannon, his daughter Jessie, and her mother, Dr. Estella Velasquez."

Jessie noted with a small frown the way Reznicek paused as he shook hands with her dad. A frown that was gone when he turned to her.

"And my friends, allow me to introduce you to Baron Jarek Reznicek," President Stasny said.

"A title that is little more than a courtesy, I assure you," the baron deflected.

"Baron Reznicek is invaluable as an ambassador to our neighboring countries," President Stasny countered.

"And since we already have good relations with our neighbors thanks to Madame President Stasny, I have an easy job. But Quest, Bannon, these are names I've heard before," Reznicek said, looking the crowd over.

President Stasny lowered her voice. "If you remember the incident with the golem, it was Mr. Bannon, Dr. Quest and his young sons who saved our country."

The baron's eyes lit up. "And the life of our beloved president."

President Stasny returned to a normal volume. "And Jonny and Jessie were the two who discovered the deception pertaining to Franz Duncek and Anna Kafka a few years back."

Baron Reznicek smiled as he looked between the two teens. "Ah, yes. All of Praha remembers that incident. I wish you would have let me know sooner I was in the presence of national heroes."

"Please, there's no need," Dr. Quest assured.

"There is every need," Reznicek stated.

"You had inquiries about your lodgings?" President Stasny stepped in.

"Yes, indeed," the baron replied.

Jessie felt herself relax as Reznicek moved a little way off with President Stasny. But she felt the need to keep an eye on him. There was something about the man…

"Hey, Jess, what are your plans this morning?" Jonny asked, startling her.

He'd managed to sneak up on her, she'd been so focused on Reznicek. It wasn't often he got the drop on her.

"After you and your mom get settled, of course," Jonny amended

Jessie smiled at the possibility of a morning with Jonny, then immediately deflated. "Mom and I need to go shopping. At the expense of sounding like a total girl, we've got nothing to wear to the party tonight."

Jonny's face fell a little too.

"But maybe we could meet for lunch," Jessie suggested.

Jonny perked up. "Yeah, let's do that. How about Café Louvre?"

Jessie nodded, smiling once more. "Sounds great."

"Jessie, we can head up to our suite now," Estella called. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, mom," Jessie called back. She turned back to Jonny. "Café Louvre at noon."

Jonny smiled. "I'll be there."

* * *

"And where is this Milos now?" Estella asked.

Jessie walked with her mom down Narodni Street, both women bundled up against the cold and carrying a multitude of shopping bags. Café Louvre was just ahead and it was about five minutes to noon. Jessie felt like she was vibrating with the anticipation of seeing Jonny again, and seeing him for longer than five minutes. Even if she would have to share him with her mom.

"I think he ended up in an insane asylum," Jessie answered. "Having a ghost brick you up with her skeleton isn't very good for the mind. Not to mention it was a couple of hours before the authorities could break him out again."

Estella shivered and not because of the cold. "I hope we don't run into any ghosts during our stay."

Jessie laughed. "From what I understand, there haven't been any sightings."

"And what about Irina? Have you kept in touch with her? Will she be at the party tonight?"

Jessie frowned. She hadn't considered Irina. And she'd forgotten until now that the girl had asked Jonny to breakfast after the entire incident with Anna Kafka's ghost.

"She and I exchange emails every once in a while. I think she stays in touch with Jonny, too."

 _How in touch? Do they email more regularly than me?_

"We'll have to ask him if he knows if she's coming," Jessie finished, doing her best to tamp down the panic rising in her.

"There's Jonny now," Estella said, lifting one shopping bag laden hand to point to the entrance of Café Louvre. "Lucky me, getting to have lunch with two Czech national heroes."

Noticing them, Jonny waved and walked forward to meet them. Jessie felt her smile involuntarily widen.

"How was your morning shopping?" he asked. "Can I help carry anything?"

"Successful," was Estella's smiling answer. "Jessie's going to look splendid tonight."

"Jessie always looks splendid," Jonny replied with a smile and a glance her way.

Jessie blushed. She stared at Jonny with eyes a little wide, surprised by his forwardness in front of her mom. He just looked back at her, grinning.

"I got us a table," Jonny said as he took half of Jessie's shopping bags from her. "It's a little busy, and I didn't want you to wait long."

"Actually, between the overnight flights and shopping all morning, I'm worn out. I hope you two don't mind if I beg off and head back to the castle to rest for a little while," Estella requested.

Jessie hid her excitement behind concern for her mom. "Are you sure, mom? Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm sure, sweetheart. I'm fine. Just tired," Estella said.

And then she winked at Jessie.

Jessie's eyes widened. Maybe she hadn't been hiding her feelings as well as she thought.

"I'll call and have a car sent down to pick you up," Jonny offered, pulling off a glove and digging for his phone.

"Thank you, Jonny. I'll take all our shopping bags home, as well. That way you won't have to worry about them," Estella said.

Jessie hugged her mom. "Thanks, mom."

"It's not a problem. The driver can help me with the bags," Estella said, suddenly feigning ignorance.

Even before Jonny got off the phone, a town car pulled up to the curb.

"That was fast," Estella joked.

The driver exited, then jogged around the car to open the door for the passenger. Before the person emerged, Jessie guessed who it was just from the pair of body guards climbing out from the other doors.

Baron Reznicek stepped onto the sidewalk and looked up at the Café Louvre. His gaze fell and caught sight of the trio almost immediately. "Dr. Velazquez, Miss Bannon, Mr. Quest, what a pleasure to run into you here. Are you having lunch at Praha's most famous café?"

"That's the plan," Jessie replied a little uncertainly.

"Is any of the rest of your family joining you?" the baron inquired, looking around as if to see her dad or Dr. Quest coming down the street.

Jessie shifted the shopping bags she still held from one hand to the other. "No, it'll just be the three of us."

Did the baron look a little…disappointed? Just for a moment there, Jessie was sure.

"Actually, I'm headed back to the castle," Estella amended.

"I hope you're feeling well," the baron said with a concerned frown.

"I'm just tired," Estella assured. "Jessie and I had a long flight to arrive here this morning."

Reznicek gestured to his vehicle. "Can I offer you my car?"

Jessie stifled herself before she begged her mom not to take the offer.

To her relief, Estella pointed to Jonny with his phone to his ear. "Jonny's already taking care of that for me."

"Well, I'd be honored to have you and Mr. Quest share my table, Miss Bannon," the baron requested of Jessie. "I want to hear all about how you and your friend discovered the truth about the Dunceks and the Kafkas. And you should sit inside with us where it's warm until your car arrives, Dr. Velasquez."

Jessie glanced at Jonny, who was still on the phone, and wondered how she could say no without offending the baron.

Two gunshots rang out in quick succession. The baron's body guards fell to the ground.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: _Love and War_ , 3/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: October 8, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Notes: This is one place where cubbiesfan1 made a huge difference. The original scene was nowhere near as good before cubbiesfan got her hands on it. Her suggestions rocketed this chapter into awesome! Thanks, friend! Also, to those who have followed and favorited this story, thank you so much for the support! It's very appreciated!

Chapter 3

Jessie dragged her mom and Reznicek to the cold, wet sidewalk behind the baron's car. Their shopping bags scattered across the ground. More gun shots sounded. People up and down the street screamed and ran for cover. In the café, patrons and workers ducked beneath tables and behind counters. Already multiple people had their phones out.

Jessie searched for Jonny frantically until she spotted him crouching just inside the doorway to the café. He was still on his phone. He caught her eyes and she saw her own concern and fear reflected in his gaze.

Jessie took a deep breath. Her heart stilled.

She looked up over the hood of the car, but all she could see was sky. Taking another deep breath, Jessie inched herself up toward the top of the hood.

"Jessie, what are you doing?" Estella asked, panic in her voice.

But Jessie ignored her. She waited a single heartbeat, then peeked her head above the car to search the rooftops across the street.

She ducked down again after three seconds while another few shots roared out, but it had been enough time to spot the shooter.

Estella knew her daughter well. "Jessie, just let the police handle it."

"It'll take them too long to get here. People could get hurt."

If her mom said anymore, Jessie didn't hear. Her focus was on the baron's body guard just in front of her, lying on the sidewalk in his own blood. She couldn't see his fire arm, but he had to be carrying one.

Jessie counted to three, then lunged forward. Her mom cried out, but Jessie ignored her. Resting on her hands and knees, she flipped open the man's coat. A silenced MP5 was secured under his arm. Unclipping the quick release on the weapon's combat sling, Jessie pulled the gun from the dead man's body. Weapon in hand, she pressed herself back against the baron's car just as another few shots rang out.

Jessie pulled back the charging handle to check for the round, verified the switch was set to full auto, then flipped off the safety. Opening up the adjustable stock, she tucked the butt of the weapon against her shoulder.

"Jessie, please think about this." Estella's voice shook as she tried once more to reason with her daughter.

"I promise, mom, I have."

It was only half a lie, but Jessie still found herself praying for forgiveness.

Jessie took a moment to inhale and exhale a number of times, regulating her breathing while also attempting to calm her did her dad make these types of scenarios look so easy? She briefly ran through the time she had spent on the range with her dad and everything he'd taught her, as well as the tactical scenarios she'd had the chance to run at the I-1 compound once or twice. It was moments like these Jessie was grateful her dad had convinced Director Corbin to let her test her skill on the ranges.

" _You'd better not let anyone with any real decision making power, or anyone who dislikes you, see what she can do," Phil commented to Race as Jessie broke down her weapon._

 _Jessie blushed at the compliment. But she also felt her dad's gaze on her, contemplative and concerned._

" _That's not what I trained her for," Race replied softly. "I just want her to be able to protect herself. If she has to."_

 _Corbin's voice lost its teasing. "I know that, Race. She's one fifteen-year-old girl I wouldn't worry about. But I won't lie and tell you there aren't some higher ups who wouldn't see the opportunity here."_

 _Race didn't acknowledge the director's statement. "Thanks for letting us come use the facility."_

 _Corbin didn't even flinch at Race's sudden change of subject. "No problem. I don't get to see you or Jessie very often, anymore. I figured if this is one of the rare chances I get, I'd better take it."_

 _Jessie straightened from replacing the tactical gear she'd worn on the range and watched her dad and Corbin shake hands. They exchanged a few more words, but too low for Jessie to hear. Finally, both men turned toward Jessie and approached her._

" _It was good seeing you, DJ Jazzy Jess. That was some impressive shooting. Keep your old man in check," Corbin joked, holding out his hand for a high five. "He's not getting any younger, but he seems to forget that."_

 _Jessie smiled as she slapped Phil's palm. "I will. Thanks, Uncle Phil."_

 _As the director walked away, Race put his arm around Jessie and steered her down the hallway in the opposite direction._

" _You won't be too disappointed if we don't come here again," he said to her._

 _Jessie shook her head. "No. I understand, dad."_

 _Race smiled down at her. She saw the pride he had for her, but also the underlying worry. Jessie hugged her dad from the side, wishing there was more she could do to reassure him._

"Jessie!" Estella's sharp cry was hard to ignore.

Jessie looked her mom in the eyes. Green eyes, identical to her own, and filled with fear.

"He's going to kill more people if he's not stopped," Jessie told her calmly.

Estella closed her eyes tightly.

Jessie, her mom and the baron ducked their heads as more shots rang out, shattering one of the vehicle's taillights and _ping_ ing against the cars on the street.

The moment the shooting stopped, Jessie popped up and aimed her gun at the spot she'd last seen the shooter. She poppedoff a couple short rounds to get the gunman's attention on her before crouching back down behind the cover of the car. The shooter responded in kind, breaking the glass in one of the windows of the café. The people behind it screamed and scattered.

Jessie waited three heartbeats then popped up once more. She dropped down behind the car before she could even aim. The man had his gun sighted right at her. Bullets hit the trunk of the car with a sharp _ting_ and left pocks in the reinforced glass of the back cursed herself for her foolish blunder _._

"Jessie!"

It wasn't her mom protesting this time. Jessie looked back at Jonny. His blue eyes were a little wide as he stared at her. She studied him for a moment, hating herself, but knowing he was the only one she could turn to in this situation.

"I need a distraction," she called to him as loudly as she dared, ignoring the pang in her chest.

His jaw flexed. She watched his eyes flicker up to the shooter, then around the street. Finally he looked back at Jessie and nodded.

"Wait for my signal," Jessie called.

Once she had an affirmation from Jonny, Jessie turned to look at her mom and the baron. "Stay here. Stay down."

Before Estella could protest further, Jessie dashed down the length of the vehicle to the front wheel. Once positioned, she turned and nodded at Jonny. Her heart tightened just before he ducked out of his hiding spot, running for the cover of the cars on the street. Bullets rained down around him, chipping at the sidewalk.

Jessie wasn't going to waste this chance. And she sure as hell wasn't going to let Jonny get shot. She twirled up from behind her hiding spot, sighted the man and squeezed the trigger three times, releasing a barrage of bullets. The man ceased fire with a flinch and grabbed at his arm. A hit, but not enough to stop him. His head swiveled to where Jessie stood with her MP5, but she ducked back down behind the car before he could target her.

A spray of bullets riddled the car she hid behind.

Not that Jessie stayed in the same place. Holding the MP5 close to her body, Jessie darted forward across the gap between the baron's vehicle and the one in front of her, inviting the gunman's fire as she briefly exposed herself.A flurry of rounds _ping_ ed against the parked car as Jessie dropped to her knees behind its rear tire. She rested for a moment to see if the man would stop his barrage. When he didn't, Jessie stayed in a crouch as low as she could and continued forward, below the car's windows, until she was able to take up a position at the front tire.

Waiting for a lull in the gunman's onslaught, Jessie glanced behind herself to check on her mom. The baron had pulled Estella close, and though Jessie didn't exactly like that, he was shielding her from the danger. She looked past her mom and the baron to where Jonny was still hiding behind his own car.

Their eyes met just for a moment before Jonny was up again, running behind the cars with his head ducked. The decoy worked like a charm, drawing the gunman's attention away from Jessie once more.

Unfortunately that meant Jonny was once again in danger of getting hurt or killed. From her crouched position Jessie shot up, planted her feet, took aim, and fired off another three round burst.

The shooting spree ended. The shooter's rifle clattered to the sidewalk. The man pitched forward to follow his weapon. The world was blissfully silent for a moment.

Jessie remembered to breathe again just as her mom enveloped her in a hug that almost knocked her over. Estella was muttering in Spanish, half prayers of relief, half scolding Jessie.

Jessie closed her eyes and relaxed into her mom a moment. The adrenaline in her body was draining away, making her feel shaky and even a little weak. Jessie suddenly wanted to sit down, afraid she might collapse.

Abruptly she opened her eyes and searched over her mom's shoulder.

Jonny stood a few cars down, breathing heavily. Watching her. Again their eyes met. Jessie swallowed the desire to push her mom away and attack-hug Jonny the way Estella had her.

Finally Estella loosened her hold on Jessie, standing back to look her daughter over, her hands caressing Jessie's face.

" _Mija preciosa_ ," Estella murmured. She smoothed Jessie's hair.

"I'm fine, mom," Jessie assured gently.

"Miss Bannon, you saved us all," Baron Reznicek said, interrupting the exchange.

Jessie and Estella both turned to face him. He studied Jessie with amazement and wonder.

"You truly are a national hero," the baron praised.

"I just couldn't…" Jessie shook her head. "Jonny helped."

The whine of sirens faded into hearing, coming from several directions. Jessie realized she was still holding the MP5. She pulled out the magazine and placed it on the hood of the car she stood beside. Next she pulled back the charging handle to eject the bullet, leaving the chamber open. She pulled out the pin and removed the stock, placing both of those pieces on the car next to the magazine. Next the bolt came out, and finally the trigger mechanism. All of these pieces she set on the car's hood and stepped away.

"Jessie?"

She looked up to see Jonny had joined the group. Jessie reached out and took his hand, giving it a squeeze and holding on.

The police cars arrived, coming from both directions and meeting in the middle. Police officers piled out, wearing dark navy. They had their pistols in hand as they searched the area for the gunman.

Once they realized the danger was over, they spread out, looking for wounded, rounding up witnesses. Jessie watched in silence as the police officers discovered the shooter's body. Soon after people on the street began pointing in Jessie's direction.

"Here they come," Jonny whispered and squeezed her hand.

Two officers approached, a man and a woman. Immediately they noted the disassembled gun on the hood of the car and exchanged a look. When the woman addressed the group, Baron Reznicek stepped forward to speak with the officers. They stood conversing for many minutes, gesturing around at the buildings. And at Jessie.

"Jessie!"

"Jonny!"

The teens turned towards their dads' calls. Race, Benton and Hadji wove between the cars and people filling Narodni Street, hell bent on reaching the pair. Jessie wanted to run to her dad, but she knew it was better she stay put. Still, just seeing him put her at ease.

"Are you three okay?" Race called out.

"Nobody's hurt," Jonny responded.

But it didn't slow the group's pace.

Jessie exhaled in relief the moment her dad's arms were around her. For a moment she felt like she was five and reunited with her dad after one of his long absences. She held onto him so tight her arms ached. He pushed her back for a moment to look her over, not even bothering to ask if she was okay. Then he pulled her close again.

Next to them, Benton and Hadji were holding Jonny close, the three of them all tangled up in the embrace.

"You okay, Stel?" Race asked over Jessie's head. Just like that morning, she felt the familiar and soothing rumble in his chest.

Estella hesitated a little in her answer. "Yes. I'm…fine."

"I'm sorry to interrupt the happy reunion," Baron Reznicek cut in, "but these police officers will need to question all of us. Especially Miss Bannon."

Race's demeanor darkened.

"I've agreed to act as translator," the baron explained.

"Alena sent a couple with us," Benton said, looking around.

The two men who could only be the translators Benton had mentioned were still trying to make their way through the maze on the street.

"I am happy to help with communication," Baron Reznicek assured.

"We appreciate that, Baron," Race said with a nod of his head.

"It's the least I can do for the young woman who truly saved all of our lives." Reznicek nodded at Jessie.

Jessie looked up at her dad's face. She found no surprise there. Instead he looked at her with a wry expression undercut with pride.

Jessie turned toward the baron and the waiting officers. "I'm ready. Let's get this over with."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: _Love and War_ , 4/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: October 12, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Notes: I do my absolute best to respond to every signed review, and I believe I've been thorough so far. If I missed you, I'm sorry, but know I'm grateful for your kind, supportive words. The same goes for those who review anonymously or as guests. Ya'll are awesome for taking the time to write a review, even if it's just a few words. And favorites and follows are always appreciated. Now enjoy a new chapter!

Chapter 4

"And then I finally hit him. He fell from the roof and that was the end of it."

Jessie sat across from a police captain, answering his questions. On her left Baron Reznicek relayed Jessie's most recent response to the police captain's query. Her mom sat on her right. Her dad stood behind her with his arms crossed. At a nearby table Jonny, Hadji and Benton sat together waiting for her interview to be over. They'd retrieved Jessie and Estella's shopping bags, which now sat in a pile under the table the Quests occupied.

The questioning had taken most of the afternoon. Jessie had told her story over and over again to a multitude of officers, each one more highly ranked than the last, if she was interpreting their insignia correctly. Jonny, Estella and Baron Reznicek had all given their stories multiple times, as well, while officers moved around the crime scene documenting and collecting evidence. The pieces of the MP5 Jessie had borrowed had been collected in plastic bags and taken away. Forensics people were everywhere, taking pictures and measurements and making sketches.

Estella stayed by Jessie's side, but Race had excused himself after Jessie's third retelling. "President Stasny has given me special authority to help out with this case and I want to take a look at the shooter and his weapon."

Jessie had nodded at her dad and gone back to her interview. But she'd noted how her mom had seemed tense for a little while after Race had walked off.

Estella, Jonny and the baron were all cleared to leave long before Jessie was, but they all stayed. Baron Reznicek acted personally as Jessie's translator, once his own questioning—shortest of all—was finished. Café Louvre allowed the officers to conduct their interviews in their building and provided hot beverages and pastries to both officers and witnesses. Jessie even spied the wait staff carrying trays of steaming mugs to the officers working out in the street.

Race had rejoined them about the time she'd begun her interview with the police captain, taking up his position behind her and effecting his most intimidating stance. Jessie didn't miss the way the police captain kept glancing at her dad throughout the interview.

Jessie sensed her current interview was finally winding down. And that it would be her last. At least, she really hoped so. She prayed it was.

The captain exhaled a long sigh and gave Jessie a tired look once Baron Reznicek finished speaking. He spoke to her in Czech, but the baron interrupted him before the policeman could finish. Jessie didn't know the language, but the baron's tone sounded upset or even angry. The conversation between Reznicek and the police captain grew heated and tense. Jessie looked over her shoulder to exchange a look with her dad, but he just shrugged. He didn't know Czech either.

With a final, commanding statement from the baron, the conversation between him and the captain ended. The police captain stiffly thanked Jessie for her time and bid her goodbye—Jessie had heard those phrases enough in the last few hours to be able to recognize them now—before leaving the café to join his personnel still sifting through the evidence.

"He could have at least thanked you for your heroic act," Reznicek muttered in English, turning his dark eyes on Jessie.

"What was that about?" Estella asked, her voice sounding a little frantic.

Jessie put her hand on her mom's and gave it a squeeze. Estella had been a little frantic the entire afternoon since the shooting. Not that Jessie blamed her. Estella wasn't used to these types of situations. And she certainly wasn't used to her daughter doing what Jessie had done just a few hours ago.

"The captain was preparing to scold you for taking matters into your own hands, but I wouldn't let him," Baron Reznicek explained. "You saved lives today, Miss Bannon. I don't know if any one told you, but besides my two men, not a single person was hurt or killed. And that's thanks to you."

Jessie nodded, not sure what to say. Especially with the way the baron was staring at her so intently. She felt like she was on the wrong end of a microscope.

"Jessie's a good girl," Race said from behind. "And capable."

"It's like I told mom. Someone had to do something before anyone else got hurt," Jessie added.

"But where the majority of the people were frozen with fear, you acted," Reznicek continued. "Even I was too afraid to even begin to contemplate what could be done to stop the man. But you…well, I repeat what I said before. You truly are a national hero."

All Jessie could think to say in response was, "Thank you."

"I would like to show my gratitude for what you have done for my country, and for me personally," the baron pressed.

"That's not necessary," Jessie said at the same time Race asked, "What do you mean 'you personally'?"

The baron responded to Race's question. "The man took out my body guards first, then focused his attention on my position. I take that to mean he was here to kill me."

"Why would he want to kill you?" Jonny asked.

He, Hadji and Benton had all drifted over to the table once the captain had left. Jonny stood at Jessie's shoulder and she found herself glad to have him there. She almost reached out and took his hand, but having both their parents present made her hesitant.

"It would be impossible to say for sure, at least at this time. But, well, this morning I spoke of my country having many allies. Yet we have many enemies as well. As an ambassador for President Stasny, I often represent to these enemies the face of the republic, and so I am sometimes targeted," Reznicek explained.

"So this happens often?" Hadji asked.

Reznicek shook his head. "No, but it happens. And this time you were all caught up in it and for that I am truly sorry. And that brings me back to my original intention." Reznicek turned his dark gaze on Jessie. "Miss Bannon, it would be my honor and pleasure to have you as my companion tonight at the President's Christmas party."

Jessie audibly gasped at the offer. Her mouth moved soundlessly for a moment. He'd just asked her…in front of her parents…

And Jonny.

The blond teen stood with his mouth hanging open in complete shock. Hadji's eyebrows had risen so far they almost disappeared under his turban. Dr, Quest had frozen, his hand still at his chin where it had been rubbing his beard. Estella stared at the baron with wide green eyes. Jessie felt her dad take a step closer behind her, standing taller, squaring his shoulders, placing his hands on his hips. Anything to make himself appear bigger.

 _Like some wild animal feeling threatened_ , Jessie though to herself.

Jessie shook her head. "I'm flattered by your invitation," she told the baron, the little white lie not even a little bitter on her tongue, "but I'm here in Prague to spend time with my family and friends and that's what I plan to do tonight."

The baron stared at her a moment longer, then nodded his head. "I understand completely, Miss Bannon. I hope you don't view my offer as too forward. And I also hope you will save me a dance tonight."

Jessie nodded her head, unable to say anything more.

Reznicek rose, wrapping a dark red scarf around his neck and pulling on fine, leather gloves gloves. "I'm sure you are all as tired as I am. I will take my leave that you may return to the castle. I look forward to seeing you again at the party tonight."

At that last statement, the baron focused his gaze, intense and full of suggestion, on Jessie for just a second before turning and striding out of the café. As one, the combined Quests and Bannons watched the baron leave the café and enter the car that had arrived for him to replace the one that was now evidence.

"The man's right," Race said, breaking the silence that had descended on the group in the baron's absence. Jessie glanced at her dad. His scowl made it clear he wasn't happy agreeing with the baron in the least. "We should be heading back."

Jessie shook herself and rose from her chair, pulling on her own winter gear. Her dad touched her back gently to guide her out of the café. Benton led the way, his sons on either side of him, to the cars that had brought him, Race and Hadji to the scene. The trio held the recovered shopping bags between them. The drivers, looking nothing like they'd just spent hours standing in the cold, protecting the Madame President's personal vehicles, opened the doors to let the groups in.

Jessie climbed in to the back of a town car with her parents, but not without looking over to where the Quests were climbing into the other. For once, Jonny wasn't looking her way.

As the driver pulled away from the scene of the crime, Jessie closed her eyes and leaned forward, pressing her shaking hands against her face. Without all the police officers around to be "on" for, she felt herself losing her cool.

 _A dark room. Her dad on the floor. Another man over him. His hands around Race's neck._

 _Her dad slowly but surely dying._

 _A stray gun. Her hands around it, squeezing as tightly as the man was squeezing Race's throat. Shaking as she raised it and pointed it at her dad's killer._

 _She squeezed the trigger._

"Jessie?"

She looked up at the sound of Race's voice, his fingertips on her knee.

"You alright?"

Jessie looked him in the eyes. She glanced at her mom who was looking at her with as much worry as when Jessie had been squaring off with the shooter, looked back to her dad.

"Yeah, I will be."

Race placed his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her forward to him across the facing seats of the car. He placed a kiss into her hair and held her for a moment longer.

"What did you find out?" Jessie asked, looking for any kind of distraction.

"Jessie, please," Estella said. "Haven't we dwelt on what happened enough today?"

"Mom, I killed a man today. I think I deserve some answers."

Jessie winced at her own cold words, and the way Estella flinched and turned back towards the foggy window. But it was too late to take her words back. She leaned back and pressed her eyes with the heels of her hands as she exhaled loudly.

Jessie let her hands drop and found her dad's gaze. He was watching her calmly, not judging her for what she'd said to her mom, only concern in his eyes. The connection between them was something Estella would never understand and Jessie wondered if that was the root of at least some of the lingering animosity between her parents.

"Nothing definitive."

When Race answered Jessie's question, Estella sighed audibly, but otherwise kept her thoughts to herself.

"In fact, it was a little too clean. Nothing at all to say where the man was from or why he was there shooting up the street. At least not that I could find. Perhaps forensics will find something."

"The baron seemed to think he was the cause," Jessie reminded.

Race drew his mouth in tight as he shook his head. "Many of those kinds of shooters want credit for their organizations or countries. Even if they are trying to do it quietly, there's usually some indication. But this guy was all generic."

"How soon until the police know more?" Jessie asked.

"Not soon enough, but they'll alert me when they find something."

Jessie nodded, her gaze drifting, but looked back to her dad when he touched her knee again.

"You're really okay?" he asked, his voice low.

Jessie looked at him for a long moment before shrugging. "I will be. It's just always unsettling to…"

She didn't need to finish her sentence. She could see in her dad's steel blue eyes that he understood without her having to say it. Of course he understood. What she'd done today was his whole life.

The car slowed to a stop at the Prague Castle gates. Jessie climbed out to the feeling of déjà vu. It had only been that morning she'd arrived in much the same way with her mom and dad. She'd been more optimistic about this trip then.

Jessie didn't wait for her parents this time. She just wanted the quiet of her room away from curious people for a little while.

As she was passing under the second gate, arms slid around her shoulders from both sides. Jessie looked between Jonny and Hadji, the young men towering over her making her feel a little more protected from the world. Jessie put her arms around their waists to pull them closer and let her head lean for a moment on Jonny's shoulder.

In the next moment, President Stasny came running out of the castle not even wearing a winter coat. She threw her arms around the three teens all at once. "Thank goodness you are all safe." The older woman pulled back to look at the trio. "I wanted to come myself, but for my own safety I was advised not to."

"It's okay, Alena," Jonny assured. "Your people need you. You certainly don't need to be putting yourself in danger."

"Let us continue inside where it is warm. We have all been out in the cold too long," Hadji insisted.

"Of course. Come. Come."

Benton, Race and Estella joined the group as they entered the hall. Immediately President Stasny began interrogating Race about the details of the incident and what he'd found. The questions she asked revealed her intelligence and instinct. A member of her security team came to join the conversation.

Jessie hung back, having already heard what she'd needed during the car ride. Jonny stayed with her.

When the baron entered the grand front hall from a side hallway and headed straight to join the group, Jessie felt herself go cold. She instinctively took a few steps back, drawing Jonny's gaze with her.

"Jess?"

Jessie caught his questioning gaze. She spoke so only he could hear. "I'm gonna head up to my room to decompress. Wanna come?"

Jonny glanced at the group, then back at Jessie. "Sure. I'll carry your bags for you.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: _Love and War_ , 5/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: October 15, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Notes: For the guest who said in their review that s/he wished Jonny and Jessie could hold hands in every chapter, this one is for you. And to the guest who said in their review that they wondered what "decompressing" would look like, well, here you go. (Perhaps you are the same person. I don't know.) I hope you love it, all of you, but also don't hate me too much at the end, hahah. I know this is what all of you have been waiting for. Thanks for being patient. And super extra thanks to TJ12398 for beta-ing this chapter for me. It's as good as it is because of her. She works magic with Jonny and Jessie, I swear.

Chapter 5

Jonny followed Jessie into the anteroom of the suite she was sharing with her mom and closed the door behind himself with his foot. There was something about that act, and finally being alone with Jessie, that allowed him to finally, completely, relax, since the shootout.

Jessie was already pulling off her winter gear and dropping it on a chair. Jonny deposited the shopping bags he'd carried on the floor out of the way of the door, then slipped out of his coat and threw it over the back of the same chair.

And then he grabbed Jessie and pulled her to him just as she turned around to face him.

Her arms slid around him in response, squeezing him tight, her hands pressing into his back, her head nestling under his chin.

It felt so good. Holding her. It always felt good. And it was the only thing he'd wanted to do since he'd laid eyes on her that morning. A feeling that had only grown stronger throughout the day.

And then the shooting had happened. And Jonny had watched his best friend—the best friend he was falling more deeply for every single day—take the perpetrator on. And all he'd been able to do was stand by and watch.

So he was willing to stand there for the rest of the day, or the rest of forever, just holding her. Feeling her breathe in and out assuring him she was alive. Soaking in her warmth. Nope, he didn't plan on moving an inch.

Jessie craned her head back to look at him, stunning him with her green eyes. Happened every single time.

"Thanks for your help today," she said a little haltingly. "I, uh, I'm sorry I-"

"Whatever you're about to apologize for, just stop," Jonny said. "You saved lives today, and I did a very small part to help."

"I put you in danger," Jessie protested, lowering her gaze as her expression darkened.

"You put yourself in way more danger," Jonny reminded. "And I put myself in danger. Besides, who else was going to help you? The baron?"

Jessie looked back up wearing a deep frown at the mention of the Czech ambassador. She disentangled herself from Jonny, to his dismay. Letting her go always felt like stepping out into a cold winter day. Wearing just a t-shirt. He watched her disappear into her room, then return with her laptop in hand.

When she sat down on the couch in the middle of the room, Jonny joined her. He slipped his arm around her shoulders in what he hoped had been totally casual. But then once he was settled, Jessie adjusted herself so she was leaning against him, nestling right into his side. Jonny dropped all pretenses and tightened his arm around her as she logged onto her computer and began working.

"What are you doing?" he asked as watched her open multiple windows.

"Running a background check on the baron," Jessie murmured, focused on her work. "I don't trust him."

Jonny's eyebrows arched up as he watched her open back doors to multiple criminal databases most seventeen-year-olds wouldn't even begin to know how to get access to: FBI, CIA, Interpol, even I-1. Jonny wasn't surprised by the access itself; he, Hadji and Jessie had worked together to create all these backdoors a couple years back. He was impressed by how thorough she was being.

Jonny leaned his cheek against Jessie's hair as he continued to watch her work. She added online searches for the baron's name, occupation, history and image, incorporating IRIS into them to ensure the best results. The process would take a few hours to yield anything worthwhile.

"No argument?" Jessie asked as she started yet another search based on Reznicek's college career and his family history.

"I've learned to trust that instinct. Elise. Melana."

"Some people would chalk those up to jealousy," Jessie mused, her eyes roaming her busy computer screen.

"Those people don't know you as well as I do," Jonny replied, not liking being reminded that both those women had been interested in Hadji, and thus Jessie's jealousy would've been for…

"How does Milos fit into the equation?" Jessie asked, distracting him from that line of reasoning. "I was totally fooled by him."

Jonny didn't like being reminded of that guy, either. "You were star struck," he reasoned. "Franz Duncek was, after all, your favorite composer. It only follows you'd be a little flustered by a direct descendent."

"Until we figured out he was a liar and a thief," Jessie commented. "The whole family. From Franz all the way down to Milos."

"And then you didn't hesitate to change your mind about Milos," Jonny said.

"It's not hard to when a guy points a gun at you and your friends and threatens to kill you." Having created a search for every detail of Reznicek's life she could think of, Jessie leaned forward to set her laptop on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Besides," Jonny added, chewing the inside of his cheek, "I didn't like the way the baron was watching you."

Jessie twisted to look at him. "What do you mean?"

Jonny shook his head. "During the shootout. When literally every single other person on that street was scared shitless, including you and me, Reznicek was just watching you. The only time he looked afraid was when you were looking at him. I don't think he realized I was paying any attention to him."

"How was he looking at me?" Jessie asked, the frown returning to her face.

"It was like he was studying you. He was completely in awe of you, which I can understand. But there was something in his expression? I can't quite explain it, but it creeped me out."

"I think I know what you mean. He's been creeping me out all morning," Jessie said, leaning into Jonny's side again like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He noticed and it gave him courage. The arm he'd had around her shoulders before was now mostly trapped between the couch and her body. He shifted to wrap it more firmly around her waist and his hand ended up on her hip. He paused then to see what she would do.

She responded by burrowing closer and resting her head on his shoulder, and Jonny had trouble focusing on anything except what was directly in front of him when he glanced down. Her. How soft her hair felt against his neck and how much he loved the scent of her shampoo. From this position, he could clearly see the dark contrast of her long eyelashes against her cheeks still slightly flushed from the cold.

Like always, he noticed everything about her, even the things he'd want to punch other men for noticing. The curves of her body beneath her light sweater made his heart skip a beat. And the way they were currently leaning against his body…Jonny had to clear his mind to focus back in on what she was saying.

"There was a moment when Alena was introducing us all that he was looking at dad. And I just wanted to push him away," Jessie admitted.

"Have you told Race, yet?" Jonny asked, taking the opportunity to wrap his other arm around his best friend. If he could've high fived himself, he would've right then.

"I haven't had a chance. I should probably go find him right now." Jonny's body tensed involuntarily and he tightened his embrace, but Jessie didn't make any move to get off the couch. Instead she relaxed further into his side. "I won't be surprised, when I do tell him, if he's also wary of the guy. Reznicek's probably already on dad's radar."

Jonny didn't answer. He was too afraid of saying something that would incite her to get up and leave his arms again. He'd finally got her in them and wanted to keep her there as long as possible.

At the same time he was trying not to get too fidgety as anticipation welled up in his belly. She'd notice that for sure. All he'd wanted the entire day was some alone time with Jessie. So he could ask her…

"Hey Jess," he murmured to get her attention.

She didn't lift her head off his shoulder, just angled her face so she could see him. He looked down at her. She looked so peaceful and happy leaning against him, being held by him. It bolstered his resolve.

"At the risk of being shot down like the baron, would you be… _my_ …date to the Christmas party tonight?"

The lump in his throat was making it hard to breathe as he awaited her answer, and surely she could both hear and feel that his heart was beating as quickly as the shots of the MP5 she'd wielded that afternoon.

Jessie lifted her head and shifted up in his embrace until they were eye level and she facing him more fully. He missed the contact immediately, but looking into her eyes like this easily made up for it.

He thought maybe she didn't quite look the same as when she'd faced Reznicek's invitation.

"You're not the baron," was the first thing she said.

"But you told him you wanted to spend the evening with your friends and family," Jonny reminded.

"A category you totally fall into," Jessie reminded in return.

Friends and family. Neither of those were what he wanted to be to Jessie. Not any longer. Or at least not quite the way he currently was. While he waited for her answer, he tried to remind himself that he'd never seen her let a friend hold her like she was letting him and she was still very much in his arms.

"You're cute when you're all nervous," Jessie said, tilting her head to one side.

"I'm not nervous," came his knee-jerk response.

She rested a palm on his chest without looking away from his eyes. "So your heart always beats this fast."

"You noticed that." Jonny swallowed and hoped she'd put him out of his misery soon.

"Just a little." She smiled warmly. "And I'd love to be your date to the party tonight."

Jonny's drooping gaze swooped up to catch hers, a grin slowly spreading across his face.

"Really?" he had to ask, while he prayed this wasn't a dream.

Jessie leaned in a few millimeters as she looked at him, still wearing her soft smile, setting Jonny's already frantically beating heart to a new speed record. "Really and truly."

Jonny laughed softly to himself as his initial disbelief turned to reality and relief. He leaned forward to meet Jessie, gently touching his forehead to hers.

"I told myself it was the first thing I was gonna ask you when I saw you today, but then everyone else was around and the baron showed up. Then I didn't get to hang out with you this morning, and of course lunch was ruined."

"Thanks for not letting this chance pass you by," Jessie said, tentatively placing her hands on Jonny's knees. His heart skipped another beat.

He wouldn't let this chance pass him by either. Jonny shifted again so the tip of his nose nuzzled against Jessie's. He heard her breath hitch and she closed her eyes.

He moved his mouth closer to hers. His mind raced. He wanted to make this perfect for her. He lifted his hand to caress the side of her face and swept his thumb across her lips. A breath exploded from her body and she opened her eyes to stare into his. Searching his. She looked suddenly vulnerable, which wasn't something he saw often.

"You're beautiful when you're all nervous," he whispered.

"I'm not…" she started, but cut herself off when his eyes drifted closed and he moved to close the short distance between their mouths.

The door knob jiggled, breaking the two apart. They looked up as the door swung inward to admit Estella.

"Jessie, there you are," Estella exclaimed, not seeming to notice the closeness between Jonny and her daughter.

Jessie rose from the couch—and Jonny's arms—to greet her mom, leaving Jonny feeling cold again.

"You and Jonny disappeared and…"

"You worried, even though we're perfectly safe in the castle," Jessie assured her mom with a hug.

Estella held onto her daughter, and Jonny understood why. He didn't want to let go of Jessie either after the incident in front of Café Louvre. Jessie relaxed the embrace before Estella did, Jonny could see. It was many moments later before Estella pulled back from her daughter.

"Sometimes you're too much like you father," Estella said so softly Jonny almost didn't hear it.

He could see Jessie's body language shift, grow a little uncomfortable. Defensive even. Jonny had already been feeling awkward watching this moment between mother and daughter, but now he wished he could find a quiet way to exit. Or perhaps give Estella a reason to leave again, so he could be alone with Jessie once more.

Or just have the chance to let Jessie know that being like Race was the biggest compliment in the world, and definitely not something anybody should be shaming her for. Especially her own mom.

"Jonny, your father is looking for you," Estella said. "I think he's being as paranoid as I am after this afternoon."

Jonny winced as he stood. He probably should've let his dad know where he was going before slipping off with Jessie.

"Thanks. I'll go find dad now," Jonny said as he grabbed his coat off the back of the chair.

He paused in the door before closing it, turning back to look at Jessie. "What time, tonight, should I, uh…"

Despite absolutely loving Jessie's mom, he really just wanted her gone in this moment. Wanted her not there making this awkward when it absolutely didn't need to be.

"Seven," Jessie said, rescuing him, giving him one of her gorgeous smiles.

Jonny smiled back, feeling his face heat a little. He turned and closed the door before he made a fool of himself in front of Estella.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: _Love and War_ , 6/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: October 19, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Notes: Since I can't respond to them personally, thank you to all those who have followed or favorited this story. I appreciate those just as much as a review! I know not everyone is comfortable writing a review, and that is another way to show an author support. That's about all I have to say. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 6

"Jonny, there you are."

Jonny turned from the door to his family's suite to meet his dad and brother who were walking toward him.

"Estella said you were looking for me," Jonny said. "You weren't worried about me, were you?"

Benton pulled Jonny into a hug. "You just disappeared so quickly once we got back to the castle, and right after what had happened…"

Lately it seemed every time he hugged his dad, Jonny was reminded how tall he was getting. Last time he'd been measured he'd been up to 6'2" and that had been a few months ago. If he didn't stop, he was going to surpass his dad. It was a little disconcerting.

"I'm fine, dad, I promise. I wasn't in that much danger," Jonny assured.

"A man was shooting at you," Hadji cut in, catching Jonny's eye.

"A man was shooting, I'm pretty sure it wasn't at me," Jonny corrected. "Baron Reznicek assumed he was the target."

Jonny finished unlocking the door to their suite and threw down his coat on the first available surface before flopping onto the couch. A couch that wasn't much different than the one he'd been sitting on with Jessie not too long ago.

Jonny ran his hands through his hair. When Hadji bumped his knee to get him to stop taking up more than half the couch, Jonny shifted to make room for his brother. Once Hadji was settled next to him, the brothers' eyes met, and Jonny smiled. He couldn't help it. He kept replaying Jessie's words in his head.

 _I would love to be your date to the party tonight._

"Whoever the target was," Benton was saying as he took a chair next to the couch, "you were in danger. You and Jessie both."

The smile left Jonny's face. "Jessie took the brunt of it this time. I seriously did very little."

"We are glad you are both safe. And Estella as well," Hadji said.

"I don't think she's too happy with Jessie," Jonny admitted.

"I know the feeling," Benton mused.

Jonny looked at his dad and attempted a reassuring look. "Seriously, dad, not a scratch on any of us. Baron Reznicek said that besides his two bodyguards, not a single other person was injured. And it's all thanks to Jessie."

"Is she okay?" Hadji asked softly.

Jonny nodded. "I think she was a little shaken, but she wasn't hurt. Thankfully. Luckily."

"She took a risk, and we're all glad she came out alive and unharmed on the other end," Benton assured. To Jonny, it sounded like his dad's voice had the same fatherly tone as if Benton were speaking of either of his sons. "Alena wants to recognize her heroic efforts in some way."

"I'm not sure Jessie would like that," Jonny said with a grimace.

"Race was trying to talk her out of it," Benton agreed.

"What did Race find out? I never heard," Jonny asked.

Benton shook his head. "Not much. He's hoping the forensics team will uncover something."

"President Stasny has ordered them to make this case a top priority," Hadji explained. "As soon as they know anything, they are to report it to Race. But it will most likely take them at least a day. These things take time."

"What're the chances this guy was just some nut job and not actually targeting anyone?" Jonny asked, rubbing his forehead.

"You were there," Hadji reminded. "What do you think?"

"I don't know. He did take out the baron's bodyguards first," Jonny said. "And he did seem to be focusing on the baron's location."

"But?" Benton prompted, knowing his son.

"I don't know. He didn't act like any professional hit man," was all Jonny could come up with.

"Race will figure it out," Hadji assured his brother. "President Stasny is counting on him."

"Speaking of which, I'm going to go find Race now and see if there's anything I can do to help," Benton said, rising again.

"Let us know if we can do anything," Jonny told his dad. "I wanna know what was motivating this guy as much as anyone."

"For now just promise me you have no plans to leave the castle," Benton requested.

Jonny rolled his eyes. "None at all, dad." _So long as Jessie is here._

"And before I forget," Benton paused to say, "we're having dinner tonight before the party with Alena. All of us. Five o'clock. One of the staff will come get you here to escort you to the dining room. So don't stray far."

"We won't, dad," Jonny assured.

Benton smiled at his sons before exiting.

"Dad's getting too old for this," Jonny commented, stretching and resting his head on the back of the couch.

"What happened with you and Jessie?" Hadji asked.

"Uh, we got shot at," Jonny replied. "Haven't you noticed all the commotion?"

"Do not play dumb with me, Jonny," Hadji insisted.

Jonny lifted his head off the back of the couch and looked at his brother with the same stupid grin from before. And just like before he couldn't help it.

Hadji was smiling too—a knowing, but also definitely pleased, smile. "What has developed between the two of you in the last hour that you went 'missing'?"

Like Benton, Hadji knew Jonny way too well.

"I finally asked her out," Jonny breathed, almost too afraid to say it. He was still waiting to wake up from this dream back into reality where he and Jessie were still solidly in the friend zone. "She agreed to be my date to the party tonight."

His face was burning even though he had nothing to be embarrassed about. Especially not in front of Hadji who'd been encouraging him to act on his feelings for Jessie for months now. Jonny leaned forward and pressed his face into his hands, then pushed them through his hair, making the thick mop stand all on end.

"And then I almost kissed her," he admitted, smiling to himself even while his heart ached with the frustration of his missed goal.

"Almost?" Hadji inquired.

"No chickening out this time," Jonny protested the knowing tone in his brother's voice as he sat up. Jonny glowered. "Estella walked in on us."

"And what did she have to say about you kissing her daughter?" Hadji asked.

Jonny sighed as he leaned back against the couch. "I don't think she caught us. Almost kiss, remember? Just…almost."

When Jonny glanced at his brother, Hadji was smiling. A simple, happy smile that made Jonny blush again and cover his eyes with his hands.

"I cannot wait to hear all about your date tonight," Hadji said simply.

Jonny spent the entire dinner with President Stasny watching Jessie as much as he could without anyone noticing. Well, anyone beside Hadji. He engaged her in conversation as much as possible without being rude to everyone else sitting at the table. He caught her eye when he couldn't and smiled, and reveled to see her blush and smile back.

This was really happening. The flirting. The date. The anticipation of finally having his first kiss with her. First of many, he hoped. He just wanted it to be seven o'clock so he could be knocking on her door to escort her down to the party.

Estella had said that morning Jessie was going to look splendid. Jonny didn't doubt it for a moment. He'd meant it when he'd said Jessie always looked splendid.

He wondered, had Estella picked up on his comment?

"I thank you all for joining me tonight," President Stasny said to Jonny's family and friends gathered at the table. "It is an honor and a pleasure to dine for once among friends."

The Quests and Bannons were seated around a large, circular table. Jessie sat between her parents, Alena between Race and Benton, Jonny next to his dad with Hadji on the other side.

"I am sure you have many friends to dine with," Hadji said diplomatically.

"But none that I don't have to be constantly on my guard about what I say when I'm around them," President Stasny replied congenially. "Only you. You have no political reasons whatsoever to be dining with me. Only friendship and joy. It was a nice reprieve before the party tonight."

The group had all risen from the lavishly set table and a bevy of servants had swooped in to begin cleaning it up as Alena led the way from the dining room.

"Speaking of, some of us need to get ready. Thank you for the amazing meal, Madame President. We'll see you at the party," Estella excused herself and Jessie.

"I look forward to it," President Stasny assured.

Jonny followed Jessie with his eyes as she left with her mom, mesmerized by the way her hair shifted along her back and shoulders as she walked away. Before they got too far, Jessie turned back and immediately caught Jonny's gaze with her own.

"I'll see you at seven?" she asked.

Jonny grinned. "I'll be there," he assured. _The end of the world couldn't keep me away._

And he'd helped avoid a few of those.

One more bright smile from Jessie before she turned and disappeared with her mom.

No sooner were they out of sight, then Race's heavy arm settled around Jonny's shoulder, giving him a tight squeeze as if to remind Jonny of the strength in those arms.

The end of the world might not keep Jonny from his date with Jessie, but Race Bannon was a whole other matter.

"Why are you going to be seeing my daughter at seven?" Race asked, sounding congenial, but with a serious undertone that Jonny wasn't used to having aimed at himself. On top of that, Race was grinning his dangerous grin. A grin that didn't reach his narrowed eyes.

A million answers to that question ran through Jonny's head in a split second. He decided to go with the safest answer that wasn't technically a lie.

"We _are_ both going to Alena's Christmas party, tonight."

"True, son, but Jessie didn't address all of us, who're also going to be at the party. She was talking only to you," Benton reasoned from Jonny's other side.

Leave it to his dad to be logical about this. Jonny looked to Hadji for support. The cat-like grin on his brother's face assured he'd get no back up there.

"I may have, possibly, asked her to be my date tonight," Jonny admitted haltingly, wincing away from Race.

His gaze landed back on his dad, who was just smiling at him. No sign of teasing anymore. Just pride. Jonny smiled back just before Race flexed, drawing the blond's attention back to his bodyguard.

"So what you're telling me," Race continued, walking Jonny down the hall, following the path Jessie and Estella had taken, "is that my daughter is going to be spending the entire evening with you."

Jonny nodded. "That about sums it up."

"Race, leave my Angel alone." President Stasny swooped in to rescue Jonny, pulling him from Race's grasp. "We both know Angel is a more than suitable match for your daughter. Both of them Czech national heroes two times over."

"Thanks, Alena," Jonny said.

"Ignore the brute back there," President Stasny comforted him. "We all know he's really quite happy Jessie has chosen you."

Race laughed. "Why'd you have to go and ruin my fun, Alena?"

"Because you are a cruel man, Race," Alena sniffed.

Race laughed again.

"I believe we should all follow Estella's example and prepare ourselves for the party," Alena suggested. She smiled at Jonny. "Especially you, Angel. You'll want to look especially good for Jessie tonight."


	7. Chapter 7

Title: _Love and War_ , 7/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: October 23, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Notes: This might be the most adorable thing I've ever written. I can't take full credit for it, though. Again, TJ12398 was very instrumental in making this chapter as amazing as it is. And before I forget, thanks to those who have followed and/or favorited since the last chapter.

Chapter 7

Standing in front of Jessie's door, Jonny smoothed his tuxedo jacket and slowly exhaled as he mentally pumped himself up. He'd already done the hard part, right? Actually asking her out. Now he just got to enjoy her company all night long. They'd done this plenty of times. They hung out just the two of them…practically every day since Hadji had gone off to college.

This was gonna be no different.

Except, well, this was an actual, official date. So no matter how much Jonny told himself he had no need to be nervous, he couldn't get his anxiety levels to go down.

Jonny adjusted his collar and patted down his bowtie one final time before he knocked on the door.

Mere moments later the door opened, and Jonny's chest tightened as he involuntarily held his breath.

Estella, not Jessie, stood on the other side. She was radiant in a soft sage green halter dress. The top gathered at a gold ring around her neck, and a matching gold belt cinched in the waist. The loose skirt fell all the way to the ground, beneath which gold kitten heeled shoes peeked out.

Jonny breathed again and smiled. "You look lovely, Estella."

Estella nodded her head at him, smiling back. "Thank you, Jonny, but I know you're not here for me." She turned slightly to call over her shoulder, "Jessie, Jonny's here." Then she turned back to Jonny. "I'll see you both downstairs," she told him as she stepped into the hall.

Much to Jonny's relief. He really didn't want to be doing this in front of Estella.

 _Better than Race answering the door._

Jonny rubbed the back of his neck. He swore he could still feel his bodyguard's arm squeezing...

"Hey."

Jonny looked down the hallway at Estella. She'd paused at the top of the staircase, wearing a quirky smile.

"I think you'll be very happy that our shopping bags were all okay after today's…incident."

With that, Estella disappeared down the stairs. Wondering about her words, Jonny waited until she was gone before stepping into the anteroom of Jessie's suite. He closed the door behind himself and looked around the warmly lit space.

 _Still no sign of Race. Thank you._

Jessie was in her room, leaving Jonny to wait by himself. He decided to remain standing, not wanting to take the chance of wrinkling his tuxedo.

Wanting to look his best for Jessie.

She appeared in the next moment, standing in the doorway of her bedroom. Their eyes met immediately and they both wore matching blushes. Neither one moved for a very long moment as they took the other in.

Splendid was the understatement of the day. Jessie looked…Jonny couldn't think of the right word to describe her beauty.

Her red hair fell loose in soft curls around her shoulders and Jonny couldn't wait for a chance to run his fingers through it. She wore a plum colored, one shoulder dress with a satin sash at the waist. The loose flowing, floor-length skirt had a slit on one side, showing a hint of her toned leg and the gun metal flats she'd chosen to pair with the dress.

Jonny couldn't hold it in. "You are so beautiful," he said softly.

Jessie's blush deepened as the corners of her mouth pulled up.

"You're looking very sharp yourself," she replied, moving out of her doorway toward Jonny. "All the girls will be jealous of me tonight."

It was amazing how such a simple compliment could make Jonny stand a little taller.

"Race isn't around anywhere, is he?" Jonny joked, half trying to break the tension, half worried the man would appear suddenly.

"No, though he did stop by earlier," Jessie responded. She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe he's being such a…a _dad_ about this."

Jonny laughed. "I think he's got the right."

Jessie stopped in front of him, a gap of mere inches between them. He was absolutely mesmerized by her, by how she looked, by her closeness. She smoothed the white ribbon that held the medal Jonny had received for being a Czech national hero. His dad, Hadji, and Race would all be wearing one as well.

"I'd agree if it was anyone else standing here with me," Jessie said, her eyes studying the medal. She glanced up at him with her bright green eyes, half-grinning as she chewed on her lower lip. "Face it, Jonny Quest, you're a gentleman."

Feeling her hands run lightly down his chest, having her standing so near, the way she was looking at him did a number on Jonny's heartbeat. And made him not want to be such a gentleman. He couldn't stop staring at her, admiring how gorgeous she was, enjoying the way the blush wouldn't quite leave her face.

Jonny brushed loose locks of silky hair over Jessie's shoulder to reveal she too wore the medal of a Czech national hero. And glinting out from between the ribbon…

Jonny's breath stopped short. His next few words came out as barely a whisper.

"You're wearing it."

* * *

At Jonny's words, Jessie touched the teardrop crystal she wore attached to a gold herringbone chain. She looked up at Jonny wearing a full on smile.

"I absolutely love it."

 _Jessie stood in her room, surveying her luggage, running lists through her head, trying to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Gifts for mom and_ Abuelita _. Appropriate clothing for Colombia in the winter to last her two weeks. Toiletries. Electronic devices and their charge cords._

" _Christmas just isn't going to be the same without you."_

 _Jessie twirled around to find Jonny leaning in her doorway, looking sad, but wearing a smile to try to hide it. It broke her heart a little._

" _I wish I could be both places at once," Jessie sighed._

" _Stupid laws of physics," Jonny complained, pushing off the doorframe to step fully into her room. "You got everything you need?"_

 _Jessie turned, looking around her room. "I think so. I hope so. It's only two weeks, so whatever I do forget I'll just have to live without until I'm back home again."_

 _Home again. Here in Maine. With the people she loved._

 _With Jonny. She didn't want to go two weeks without him…_

" _Well, maybe you forgot one thing," Jonny said._

 _Jessie looked at him, confused. He met her gaze, then held up a small, wrapped package._

" _You're not allowed to open it until Christmas," Jonny told her, handing it over. "It's the rules."_

" _Don't you want to see me open it?" Jessie asked, fingering the present and bursting with curiosity._

" _Yes, so you better make sure your mom records you opening it," Jonny ordered. "Who I emailed, by the way, to let her know you aren't allowed to open it early. She already replied. She promised me she'd hide it from you if she had to."_

 _Jessie sighed. "Then I better find a safe place for transporting it to Colombia."_

 _She set the package on her bed and tunneled into her packed suitcase until she was satisfied she'd dug deep enough. Carefully she slid the gift inside, doing her best not to ruin the bow or the wrapping job._

" _Will you be mad if it's a little squished when it arrives in Colombia?" Jessie asked, scrutinizing her work._

 _Jonny huffed. "I suppose it's not the packaging that really matters," he conceded._

" _You had Ms. Evans wrap it for you, didn't you?" Jessie guessed with a knowing grin._

" _Well if I had wrapped it, I would have just given up and handed you the thing without any pretty ribbons and paper," Jonny assured. "And then your Christmas surprise would have been ruined."_

 _Jessie laughed as she zipped up her suitcase. "Help me haul all this stuff downstairs?"_

" _If I have to," Jonny said, reaching for her largest bag. Jessie didn't miss the half joking, half sad tone in his voice as she grabbed the smaller suitcase and shouldered her carryon. She followed Jonny out of her room and down the stairs._

" _I'm really gonna miss you for the next two weeks," Jessie said once her luggage was piled in the foyer._

" _Oh, you better be ready for all the texts from me," Jonny assured. "You'll be sick of me before the two weeks are over."_

 _Jessie flung her arms around his neck. "I'm holding you to that, Jonny Quest."_

 _She earned a chuckle and hard embrace, which she returned in full force. She never enjoyed being separated from her best friend, but this time felt different. She was dreading it a little. Somewhere along the way, he had become the best part of her day._

" _Jessie, you ready to go?" Race called, coming in through the front door with a blast of frigid Maine winter air. "Oh, there you are."_

 _Jessie stepped back from her embrace with Jonny and pulled her coat from the rack. Jonny immediately took it from her and held it out for her. Then he helped Race load her luggage into the Quest van._

 _Dr. Quest and Hadji appeared to say their goodbyes and wish her a good trip and a Merry Christmas. Then Jessie was sitting in the van with her dad, driving along the freshly plowed drive to the main road._

 _Mere minutes after they exited the compound gates, Jessie's phone binged with a text message. She smiled as she read it._

I mean it. No opening until Christmas.

Jessie lifted the crystal and slid her finger underneath. A tiny hologram appeared, hovering above the crystal. A picture taken with Dr. Quest's 3D camera. It depicted Jonny and Jessie standing together, arms around each other, smiling.

" _Abuelita_ thinks you're the sweetest genius," Jessie said, grinning up at Jonny.

"I like your _Abuelita_ already," Jonny replied with a wink. "I wanted to get you something…special, but a plain ol' locket just didn't seem your style."

"I love that you made it work only with my fingerprint," Jessie gushed.

"I had to use a saved image from the Compound security files. I was afraid it wouldn't work. I could only test it with my own fingerprint," Jonny said.

He took the crystal from Jessie, replacing her finger on the underside of it with his own. Jessie gasped as a new image appeared: Jonny standing behind Jessie with his arms around her shoulders. Jessie's hands rested on Jonny's forearms and they were laughing.

"You can change the images, too," Jonny explained, "or add more. Make each fingerprint display a different one. I can show you later."

Jessie nodded. "Oh, and mom did record me opening it. It's on my phone."

Jessie dashed back to her room, leaving Jonny grinning like a fool for a minute before she returned with her phone in hand.

"We can watch it now if you want," Jessie offered.

"Let's get down to the party before your dad comes looking for us," Jonny suggested. "It'll be something for me to look forward to."

Jessie chuckled. "Okay. But I don't want to carry a purse, and you've got pockets to spare, so hold these for me, will you?"

Before he could answer she slid her phone and room key into his jacket pocket. She looked up at him with a smile as she slid her arm into his, placing her other hand into the crook of his elbow.

"Let's party."

He paused and stared at her instead of leaving the room. Jessie was glad. She wanted this bubble for just one moment longer. She guessed Jonny did too.

"What?" she smiled, as his gaze lingered.

"You are so beautiful, Jessie."

"You mentioned," she murmured, unable to hide her embarrassment.

Jonny leaned in and spoke right into her ear so she could feel his breath brush against her skin, sending delicious shivers down her spine. "It bears repeating. Believe me."


	8. Chapter 8

Title: _Love and War_ , 8/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: October 26, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Notes: Are you all ready for more cuteness? Enjoy reading about Jonny and Jessie's date as much as I enjoyed writing it. And thank TJ12398 for her input. She infused more magic in this scene. She's the best.

Chapter 8

Jonny felt ten feet tall as he escorted Jessie down the grand staircase that led to the huge, double-doored entrance to the ballroom. Around them other guests were also making their way to the party in tuxedoes and evening dresses and Jonny couldn't help thinking they were all jealous of him.

He kept glancing at Jessie, and catching her glancing at him. Would they ever get over the nervous smiles and the blushing? A part of him hoped not. He liked the way Jessie looked with a rosy tint to her cheeks, especially when it was there because of him. Another part of him couldn't wait to smile at her again as much as he pleased without all the blood in his body rushing to his face.

They reached the bottom of the garland and light draped staircase and proceeded to the entrance of the ballroom. Jonny looked around for Race. He wouldn't be surprised to see Jessie's dad waiting for them to arrive. But the only white hair he spotted was atop the more elderly guests at the event.

So Jonny was caught off guard when Jessie pulled on his arm, dragging him away from the party and behind some decorative topiary out of sight of the entrance.

Jonny frowned at her. "What's wrong?"

"I spotted Baron Reznicek strolling past and I kinda wanna avoid him," Jessie explained, peeking around the foliage. She turned to look at Jonny. "Here's the plan: avoid the baron at all costs tonight."

"With pleasure," Jonny agreed. He was still a little on edge about the way Reznicek had asked her out that afternoon. Jealous wasn't quite the right word. He knew Jessie had no interest in the baron. He simply felt…protective. "Anything come up on your background check?"

Jessie shook her head. "Nothing yet. But it's still running." She peeked again and relaxed. "Coast is clear."

"Do you see your dad anywhere?" Jonny asked, letting Jessie lead him out from behind the topiary.

"No, but I'm sure we'll run into him at some point tonight," Jessie teased.

"Great. A sneak attack," Jonny groaned. "None of your other dates had to worry about your dad showing up out of nowhere. I deserve extra points for that."

There was something about saying the word "date" that sent a rush of nerves and excitement blowing through him. It made him feel a little heady.

"Relax," Jessie told him. "I'm here to protect you, remember? Besides, you don't need extra points. Anyone else was always ever playing for second."

Jonny made a show of working his shoulders and tried to hide his grin. "I guess that makes me feel a little more secure."

Together they stepped into the ballroom. The spacious gallery rose two stories, with a balcony running around the second floor. Garlands and lights were strung everywhere, mimicking the decorations on the stairwell. Multiple Christmas trees were scattered around the room on both levels decorated in the Czech Republic national colors of red, white and blue. Humongous wreaths with crimson bows and twinkle lights hung from the balcony of the second story. The large multi-tiered chandelier hanging in the center of the room had been strung with more garland dotted with little red bows.

At the far end of the room on a raised dais a small orchestra played classical music. Waiters and waitresses bobbed through the crowd, gracefully wielding trays of hors d'oeuvres, champagne flutes, and other goodies for the guests to enjoy.

"Madame President sure knows how to throw a party," Jessie said appreciatively as she admired the room.

Jonny happily spent the time admiring her.

Jessie turned to smile at Jonny. "Memorable first date already."

He winked at her. "I aim to please."

They let themselves get swept along by the crowd. The center of the room was left open for dancers, and for the first time in his life Jonny looked forward to going out there. Knowing he'd have Jessie as his partner made a huge difference.

"Angel! Jessie!" President Stasny greeted as she spotted them.

She wore a dark blue strapless gown, the bodice twisted to form a slight sweetheart neckline, the skirt poofing out like a bell from her waist. She dripped with diamonds that twinkled like stars against the dark blue of her dress. She greeted the teens with her customary embrace.

"Jessie, you are a vision," President Stasny exclaimed.

"And you are absolutely beautiful, tonight," Jessie returned the compliment.

President Stasny turned her attention to Jonny. "And Angel, you look handsome as always."

Jonny smiled. "You look lovely."

"Have you run into any of your family?" the Madame President asked.

"Not yet. We just got here," Jonny answered.

"Jessie, your mother, oh, she will not want for dance partners tonight," President Stasny said. "I can see where your own looks come from. And why your father fell in love with her in the first place. I will be surprised if I don't see them dancing at least once, tonight."

"You are too kind, Alena," Jessie insisted.

"For a national hero like yourself? Never," President Stasny insisted back. "I do wish you would let me do something to show my thanks for your heroic actions today."

Jessie shook her head. "Knowing nobody got hurt is thanks enough."

President Stasny took one of Jessie's hands in both her own. "Someday, I promise, you will visit my country without any terrible things happening."

"I look forward to it," Jessie replied. "I haven't had a chance to do much sightseeing."

"A tragedy for sure," President Stasny agreed. "Ah! Look at me! Talking your ears off when neither of you is here tonight for me."

"You're exactly the reason we're here," Jonny protested.

"Go," Alena said with one last squeeze of Jessie's hand. "Enjoy yourself."

She left them, already calling out to another of her guests.

"No wonder her people love her," Jessie said fondly as they continued their walk around the ballroom.

"She's right about the sightseeing. It _is_ a tragedy you haven't been able to see much of Prague," Jonny lamented.

Jessie pouted prettily. "I want nothing more than to spend a few days exploring Prague. But every time we come there seems to be some incident we end up looking into."

"Maybe the problem is that we keep announcing we're coming," Jonny suggested. "Next time we should come in secret. We won't tell Alena that we're coming. We won't even tell our parents. We'll stay in a hostel instead of the royal palace."

"We'll use fake names," Jessie interjected.

Jonny caught her eye. "Just the two of us."

Jessie nodded her agreement. "Just the two of us."

Jonny felt like his chest was expanding and that he was never going to stop smiling. For a moment it was like they were the only two people in the room.

"Jonny? Jessie? Is that you?" a delicate voice asked.

The pair turned from their secret smile to where the voice came from. Around the perimeter of the room circular tables draped in snowy tablecloths provided places for guests to sit or set their drinks down. Irina Kafka was rising from one of them, smiling and waving at them. A young man accompanied her and Jonny tried to decide if he was her brother, her cousin. Or maybe her significant other. He prayed the guy was the latter.

"I hoped I would run into you tonight," Irina exclaimed, greeting the pair with a hug for each. "It has been years since the last time you visited Prague and Madame President assured me you would be here."

The young woman looked lovely in her pale blue dress with her hair pulled to one side in a low ponytail, the curled end hanging down over her shoulder. Jonny should have been happy to see her again, but all he felt was awkward.

It probably had to do with the fact that the last time he'd seen Irina, just after discovering the truth about the famed composer Franz Duncek and Irina's ancestor Anna, he'd accepted her invitation to have breakfast. And then done just that. All to spite Jessie after her mooning over Milos. A decision he was now regretting. It had been stupid of him to act so petty.

He wanted to explain to Jessie, now, that he hadn't kept that much in contact with Irina. They'd exchanged less than a dozen emails in the last couple of years. Their breakfast had meant nothing to him.

But in the few seconds of panic he'd been mentally suffering, the two girls had already started a conversation.

"Jessie, is it true what I've heard about you?" Irina asked, her pale blue eyes wide behind her wire-framed glasses.

Jonny could see the way Jessie suddenly looked guarded, but knew Irina wouldn't notice. "What have you heard?"

"You were involved with that shooting in front of Café Louvre?"

Jessie's smile tightened, but she answered Irina's question. "I was, unfortunately. We both were." Jessie tightened her grip on Jonny's arm. He placed his hand on hers.

"I am so glad you both are alright," Irina cried in her delicate voice. "I have missed you both so. Come sit with Silvestr and I. I want to hear all about what you've been up to in the last few years."

Dark hair and olive skin caught Jonny's attention and he narrowed his gaze as he spotted Baron Reznicek heading for them.

"Actually, Irina, I haven't seen my dad yet tonight and I really should go find him," Jonny said, already tugging Jessie away. "After the incident this afternoon he's been a little concerned."

Irina's face fell, but just for a moment. "I understand. But promise me you will find me later so we can catch up."

"I promise," Jonny lobbed back over his shoulder, already on the move with Jessie.

"What was that about?" Jessie asked.

"Baron alert. He was bearing down on us," Jonny explained, checking over his shoulder.

The baron was no longer in sight, but Jonny didn't stop scanning the crowd around them, just in case.

"I can't believe how much Irina's grown. She looked lovely, tonight, didn't she?" Jessie asked with feigned nonchalance. "Have you been keeping in touch with her?"

Jonny zeroed his attention in on his best friend, not liking her tone of voice, the slight frown to her mouth, the fact she was looking anywhere but at Jonny.

"I dunno. I guess. I wasn't really paying attention," Jonny answered. "I think the last time we emailed was…I don't know. I can't even remember."

Jessie glanced at him.

"You think she was dating that guy?" Jonny asked, hoping he was coming off totally natural.

Jessie glanced over her shoulder in Irina's direction, though the girl and her companion had disappeared within the crowd. "I don't know. I was trying to decide."

"I don't remember her mentioning any family, so I don't think he's her brother or anything. Do you think they looked alike?" Jonny added.

When Jessie looked back at him, the frown was gone. And she willingly met his gaze once more.

"I'm not sure. I didn't get a good look at him," Jessie admitted.

"I have an idea. Let's discuss it out on the dance floor," Jonny suggested.

He was rewarded with Jessie's beaming smile.

* * *

Race stepped nonchalantly up to his ex-wife as he innocently surveyed the dance floor. Or not so innocently. He had his eyes trained on a couple: she with red hair, he with blond.

"I need you to dance with me," Race said before Estella even realized he was there.

She started as she looked at him with surprise. Race turned a completely serious face on Estella.

"That's a pretty bold statement coming from you," she mused, arching an eyebrow.

"I promise you this is not a come on," Race said, then almost kicked himself.

What was it about Estella that made him into a sudden oaf?

"What I meant to say," he spoke before she could snap at him again, "is I need a reason to do a little spying without looking conspicuous."

"And you think dancing with me won't be conspicuous," Estella snorted. "The moment Jessie sees us…"

"Who said I was spying on Jessie?" Race asked with mock offense.

Estella rolled her eyes in a way that reminded Race of their daughter.

"Who _are_ you trying to spy on, then?" she asked, turning to look at him full on while waving the champagne glass she held at the dance floor.

Race frowned, then shook his head, knowing he wasn't going to get this one past Estella.

"There are plenty of beautiful women here. Many I know you could weasel into dancing with you in a much shorter amount of time than it would take to convince me. Why aren't you schmoozing one of them?" Estella asked, her expression polite, but her tone dangerous.

"I figured you were as curious as me," Race said simply.

Estella looked at him a moment, then turned and deposited her half full champagne glass on the nearest table.

She held her hand out to Race. "Fine. Let's dance."

He took her proffered hand and led her out among the other couples twirling or swaying around the dance floor. With a flourish he spun Estella and then pulled her against him.

For just a moment fifteen years melted away, the ballroom along with it, and Race was dancing with Estella—the salsa—in their tiny kitchen in Colombia, two-year-old Jessie jumping and dancing around them.

But it was just a moment and then he was back in the grand ballroom of Prague Castle.

Race danced Estella around the other couples, keeping an eye on Jessie and Jonny while keeping out of their sight. So far his daughter and his charge seemed to be just dancing, lost in their own little world.

"I think you're worrying a little too much," Estella said, pulling his gaze back to her.

He was surprised at the tiny wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, though she was no less beautiful than the day they'd met. And he was surprised at his surprise.

"She's my baby girl. I have every right to be worried," Race reasoned.

"She's not a baby anymore," Estella reminded gently.

"She'll always be my baby girl. Even when she's ninety-nine and I'm-"

"Dead in the grave?" Estella suggested, arching both eyebrows and wearing a mischievous little grin.

Race twirled her around, dipped her, and brought her back up again before replying, "Yes."

Estella shook her head. "You raised her well."

"We both did," Race argued.

Estella smiled at the compliment. "You raised them both well."

Race's mouth worked as he stared at his daughter and Benton's son, still dancing, still blissfully unaware of his scrutiny or the world outside their own little bubble.

"Doesn't make it any easier," Race said softly around the lump in his throat.

"You've got nothing to worry about," Estella gently chided him.

"I know," Race admitted. "I'm just having a hard time…"

"Watching her grow up. Realizing she's not a baby anymore. Letting her go. Giving her up to someone, even someone you know and love and trust."

"How do you know all that? How do you understand all that?" Race asked, searching Estella's—Jessie's—green eyes.

"I went through it all when she started living with you again," Estella explained. "You left and I had her all to myself for six years. When it was hard, when she made me the proudest mama alive, when she hurt and when she won. Every little thing that happened to her was all mine.

"And then the two of you came crashing back together. You're like a pair of magnets, the two of you. You couldn't have stayed apart forever. Something would have dragged you back together. And something did."

Race's face darkened.

"And I had to go through losing her to you, and that was hard enough and you're her father."

Race took a slow breath in, then exhaled it. "I didn't get enough time with her."

"It's the complaint every good parent has," Estella assured.

"But I abandoned her for-"

"Don't," Estella cut him off. "Don't do that. You didn't abandon her. And you had your reasons. And when you got the chance, you both let each other back in. And it was the best decision both of you ever made. And now our baby is making another 'best' decision."

Choosing to ignore Estella's final statement, Race asked, "How did you handle it?"

"Honestly?" Estella laughed. "Not very well. I was jealous. I wanted Jessie to hate you. I thought you deserved that. It was selfish, but it was how I felt."

"So how'd you get over it?" Race asked, taking a deep breath to try to ease the pang of his heart.

"I focused on her happiness and made it my own," Estella told him. "She was truly happy with you. Well, and with Benton."

Race chuckled.

"And with his boys," Estella inclined her head in Jonny and Jessie's direction.

Race chose to ignore that statement as well.

"And I realized I wasn't really giving anything up. Sure, I don't get to have her with me all the time, but she's still growing, she's still winning and hurting, and she still shares it all with me. And it'll be the same for the two of you. You're not really losing her, even if that's what it feels like right now."

Race "hmphed" and shook his head. "You know, you're a smart lady."

"There have been some people who say I'm down right intelligent," Estella parlayed, playing along.

"They aren't very far off the mark," Race remarked.

Despite the tempo of the music, Race extended his hand holding Estella's, pressed his other to the small of her back, began the salsa step.

Estella was right here with him. Race pushed her away, flinging her out in a twirl.

She never came back. She let go of his hand and drifted away from him between the dancers, leaving him standing by himself with an ache in his heart as wide as the chasm between them.


	9. Chapter 9

Title: _Love and War_ , 9/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: October 29, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 9

Jonny swayed lazily back and forth to the music, Jessie leaning against him with her head on his shoulder. He held one of her hands in his against his heart, with an arm firmly around her waist, keeping her pressed tight to himself.

They'd been like this for a good twenty minutes with little variation. Often Jonny would dip his head to say something that would make Jessie laugh and he would enjoy the ripple it sent through her body to his own. Sometimes she'd lean her head back when something struck her to say to him.

But mostly they were quiet, dancing, enjoying each other's presence.

Though Jonny did keep a look out for both Baron Reznicek and Race. He thought he'd seen Race on the dance floor with Estella at one point, but the pair had disappeared so quickly he hadn't been sure. And he'd decided not to bring it up to Jessie.

He felt her go on tiptoes and dipped his head down to her. Her breath, the whisper of her lips against his ear, was an electric jolt every time that he never wanted to end.

"I thought you hated dancing," she said with a laugh.

"I don't hate dancing. It's all about the partner you choose," Jonny replied smoothly.

"So you hated dancing with those other girls?" was Jessie's next question.

"Hate's a strong word, but it wasn't the optimal experience," he explained.

"And now…?"

Jonny smiled against her ear. "I have the perfect partner. It changes everything."

Jessie pulled back to meet his gaze. Her eyes brightened, giving Jonny that chest expanding feeling again that was new and a little scary and wonderful.

"So we can stay out here all night, if that's what you want," he added.

Jessie's lips parted to say something, but then her gaze drifted over his shoulder. Her face darkened, her eyes narrowed.

Jonny knew the reason without having to look.

"Or we can check out the second floor," he suggested, propelling her off the dance floor without letting go of her waist. "We haven't explored up there yet."

Jessie glanced over her shoulder one last time, and when she turned back, the dark shadow was mostly gone from her face.

Halfway to the entrance, Jonny caught sight of his dad and brother. For a moment he debated moving on without acknowledging them. But, like he'd told Irina earlier, after the events of the afternoon it was probably best to check in.

"Dad," Jonny called. "Hadji!"

Jessie turned her gaze to follow his, the smile finally returning to her face when she caught sight of his family.

Benton and Hadji waved as they approached. Hadji caught his brother's eyes and gave him a secret smile that made Jonny grin like a fool. Hadji was having way too much fun with this.

Jonny didn't let go of Jessie as they paused in front of his family. She seemed just as content to hold onto him. Everyone knew what was going on between them. No need to hide it.

"You two look like you're having a grand time," Benton commented jovially.

"We are. This is the Christmas party to top all Christmas parties," Jessie exclaimed.

"Alena has truly outdone herself," Hadji agreed.

"What about the two of you?" Jonny asked.

"Enjoying ourselves heartily," Benton assured. "Jessie, have you seen your father around?"

"Actually, we haven't run into him or mom," Jessie said, flashing a grin at Jonny.

"We were actually headed up to the balcony," Jonny explained. "We just stopped to say hello."

"Then we won't keep you any longer," Benton said, waving them off.

Jessie let Jonny pull her off once again. As they made the stairs and climbed, with linked hands, to the second story, Jonny felt a little rebellious, a little reckless. Evading the mysterious baron, running from the scary dad. At the top of the stairs they passed a waiter with a tray full of drinks, and Jonny deftly grabbed two of them, handing one to Jessie.

He led her to the railing so they could look over the massive party. With a clink of their glasses, they lifted the delicate flutes. Jessie giggled and Jonny joined her with a laugh as the champagne bubbles hit his mouth and then his nose. Taking Jessie's glass back from her, he set them on a nearby table, then turned to lean over the railing and watch the crowd milling around below.

Jessie leaned into him, and he put his arm around her. He hoped such a simple act always gave him this rush of elation. He found himself watching her more than the party.

She pointed wordlessly, and Jonny looked to where Baron Reznicek stood below looking around himself in confusion.

"Let's stay up here a little longer," Jonny suggested.

Jessie nodded.

Jonny spotted Race's white head among the crowd and turned away from the view. He leaned back against the balcony and contented himself with the view Jessie afforded him. It was the better view anyway.

After a moment she turned away as well, finally casting her gaze his way. She leaned shoulder to shoulder with him. Again he slipped his arm around her waist. Pulled her closer. Electricity.

"Madison invited me to her New Year's Eve party," Jonny mentioned casually.

"That's always the party of the year," Jessie said. "Present party not included. Are we gonna be home in time for it?"

"Yep. You wanna go with me?" Jonny asked, leaning in closer to her.

"You mean be your date again?" Jessie hummed. "I don't think that's what Madison had in mind when she invited you."

Jonny gently swept Jessie's hair over her shoulder. And leaned in even closer. "Too bad for her. I wanna spend the night with you."

Jonny didn't miss the way Jessie's gaze seemed to fluctuate between his eyes and his mouth as the distance between them grew smaller and smaller. He couldn't seem to stop staring at her pink mouth, himself.

"A second date? You're pretty confident, Hotshot," Jessie teased softly.

"You make me feel that way," he admitted.

Jonny tightened his hold around Jessie's waist, gripping the soft material of her dress. He made use of that confidence he was feeling and pulled her around in front of him, guiding her between his outstretched legs. He licked his lips nervously and ran his hand across her lower back before settling it casually on her hip. His other hand reached up and caressed the side of her face. She briefly closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. He felt like he'd won the lottery. And this one had nothing to do with money.

"Jonny," Jessie whispered, her eyes fluttering open. Now her gaze was focused only on his lips. "This is…dangerous."

He smiled softly. He was just as enraptured by her mouth, now, and the way it pulled into a mischievous smirk. His irresistible partner in crime. "Worth the risk."

"Someone might see us," she stated, lifting her hands between them to grab his lapels. Her tone didn't match her words. Neither did her actions. She inched closer to his body.

"I don't care," he said emphatically. "Let them watch. You're the only thing I'm thinking about right now."

She blushed as she lifted her eyes to his once more and he grazed his thumb over her rosy cheek. She moved her hands to his neck and waited. Patiently. So unlike her. Their foreheads came together. Their noses met. Jessie released a tiny shaky breath. Jonny felt it against his lips and almost lost it. He had dreamed about this. So many times. He closed in, intent on, finally, making it a reality. His heart provided the drumroll.

The rat-a-tat of automatic weapons ripped through the ballroom.

The gun shots were answered with overlapping screams as everyone instinctually ducked down.

Jonny's first reaction was to pull Jessie close to him as he looked around for the shooter. Hers must have been the same, because both her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and shoulders. When he didn't see anyone with a gun nearby, he looked down at Jessie. She stared back at him with wide eyes for a moment before they both moved simultaneously.

There was yelling, probably from the gunmen. Jonny was fairly sure there was more than one. Either way, he ignored them as he dragged Jessie away from the railing while she was tugging at him to move out from the open. There was less light closer to the wall, shadows to hide within, furniture to hide beneath, and they both headed that way.

Jonny was still looking for the gunmen, clutching Jessie close. One dangerous encounter was enough for the day. He wasn't going to watch her put herself at risk a second time. His emotions, his heart, couldn't handle it.

Out of the crowd a man appeared—a mountain of a man wielding an automatic weapon—and grabbed Jessie by the arm, yanking her from Jonny.

"Let go," Jessie yelled loudly, struggling against the man's tight grip.

There was no way in hell Jonny was gonna let the man just take her. He kept his arms locked around her waist, staring right into the man's dark gaze, returning his sneer with an unflinching, determined stare.

The man slung his weapon over his shoulder by the sling, wrapped his bear paw sized hand around Jonny's throat, and squeezed. The pain of the pressure hit Jonny first, quickly followed by the lack of oxygen.

Jessie thrashed harder, throwing herself against the man's arm in an attempt to loosen the cretin's hold on Jonny. But his steel grip on her lost her much of her momentum, and her buffering proved useless.

"No!" Jonny choked out as his vision began to go black, his arms lost their strength, his body betrayed him.

With a tug, the man finally pulled Jessie from Jonny's grasp, whipping her away from Jonny. He shoved Jonny away, and Jonny crashed to the floor, flailing, sucking in breath and coughing. As the black faded from his sight, he watched Jessie continue to struggle as the man dragged her away, swinging his weapon around to keep the crowd at bay.

Jonny tried to get his useless limbs under control. There was a time in his life when he could get his arms and legs to do exactly what he wanted. But right now, still coughing and fighting for air, crying out for Jessie in a raspy voice, it was a chore to get his hands and arms to find purchase on the chairs and tables around him, his legs to support him.

Some of the guests tried to help him up, but he pushed them away. They shouldn't be helping him. They should be helping Jessie.

He had to get to her.

Her yells of protest, unheeded by her captor, were growing farther and farther away.

 _Someone stop him. Someone help her!_ he wanted to yell out, but his half-crushed trachea wouldn't cooperate.

Another burst of gunfire elicited more screams from the crowd as Jonny shoved his way through the people blocking his path to Jessie. He cared nothing about etiquette or decorum.

A voice cried out, speaking in English but with a thick eastern European accent. "Mr. Bannon, we know you're here, and we know your reputation. We have taken your daughter to ensure you don't follow us. If we have even the slightest suspicion that you or any police or military agents are tracking us, we will kill her."

Jonny pushed to the front of the crowd just in time to see the man who'd made the announcement disappearing down the stairs. Jonny followed at a sprint, but at the bottom of the stairs the crowd that parted for the gunman closed again, impeding Jonny's progress.

He clawed at people to get them to move, his sight trained on the rearmost gunman, but he was falling behind. Before he was even halfway to the entrance they had disappeared up the stairs.

"Jessie!" he called, his voice still gravelly from being half-choked. But the people around him didn't seem to care about his lost best friend. They kept getting in the way, slowing him down.

Hadji appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Jonny's arm. Jonny shoved him off, but Hadji grabbed him again more securely and pulled him back.

"There is nothing you can do right now!" Hadji yelled in his ear. "You heard what the man said. If you try to follow, they will kill Jessie."

Jonny stopped fighting against his brother. All at once the strength left his body, forcing Hadji to hold his brother's weight as Jonny stared off in the direction the gunmen had left.

With Jessie.

Heroically, Hadji supported Jonny as the elder brother pushed their way more politely through the crowds. To Jonny, it seemed to take forever. There were just too many damn people. Too many damn people who had done nothing to stop Jessie's abduction. Finally he and Hadji broke through the front of the crowd.

What awaited them made Jonny's heart break a second time. It made him feel like he'd been ripped right in two.

The crowd had left a wide half circle of empty space in front of the double doors leading out of the ballroom. Completely isolated in the center of that space, back to the crowd, hands balled into fists and visibly shaking, staring through the entrance to where the gunmen had fled, stood Race.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, there you have it folks. Something like this was bound to happen sometime. Tell me how you feel in the reviews.


	10. Chapter 10

Title: _Love and War_ , 10/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: November 2, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: I forgot to mention that last chapter (at least the first part up until Jonny and Jessie are interrupted) was once again beta'd by TJ12398 and again she did an awesome job. Okay. That's it. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 10

To Jonny and Hadji's left, Estella broke through the crowd and crossed the space to reach Race. When she caught his arm, her face a mask of fear already streaked with worried tears, Race turned to look at her without any hurry.

Jonny couldn't hear what Estella said to Race. The murmur of the crowd around him and Hadji drowned it out. But a moment later she collapsed and only Race's quick reflexes kept her from hitting the floor.

Jonny and Hadji moved as one to approach the pair, Jonny having found strength in his limbs once more. Benton appeared from the crowd, as well, rushing across the distance to the group.

"Race," Jonny said, then stopped. His heart seemed to completely fold in on itself now as he faced his bodyguard. Jessie's father.

What could he say? He'd failed.

Race turned to look at Jonny, the older man's face hard and focused. He still held onto Estella, supporting her. She looked like a doll in Race's arms.

"I'm so sorry," Jonny choked out, ashamed of the tears that flooded his eyes. "I tried. I promise I did."

"Jonny, what happened?" Benton cut in, gently touching Jonny's throat.

Jonny flinched away from the sharp pain even the gentle touch produced.

"I didn't want them to take her, but the guy was huge. He choked me one handed," Jonny stuttered out.

"Jonny, it's not your fault," Race said with no emotion to his voice. His gaze drifted back to the stairs, then to his ex-wife and finally back to Jonny. After a second, he shook his head, and a part of the man Jonny knew and respected returned.

"You tried. Thank you for trying. Please don't blame yourself. I'm going to get her back," Race said gently. He looked down at Estella. "You hear that? I'm going to get her back. Alive. And unharmed."

Race's words seemed to bolster Estella. "I know you will." She nodded her head as she found the strength to stand on her own again. She still looked shaky and Race kept an arm around her.

"Who else was taken?" Hadji asked.

Jonny looked at his brother in confusion.

"The gunmen took Jessie as insurance. She was not the main target," Hadji elaborated. He asked again, "Who else was taken?"

"Baron Reznicek."

The group turned to President Stasny. Jonny hadn't noticed her join them.

"Let us take this somewhere private where we can begin to work this out," President Stasny invited.

Benton nodded. "Thank you, Alena."

The Madame President led the way out of the ballroom and up the stairs. The stairs the men had taken on their path out of the castle, dragging Jessie with them.

They were long gone by now.

As she walked, President Stasny gave out orders to passing servants. The soft-spoken, jovial woman was become the leader the people had voted for multiple times now. As she continued to guide the group through her castle, officials and security personnel gathered around her, bringing information and then scurrying away again to carry out whatever orders she gave.

Benton and Race kept pace just behind her. Race walked with his arm around Estella who leaned against him. But his and Benton's attention was on President Stasny, not saying anything, just listening and absorbing.

Hadji and Jonny brought up the rear. Jonny wished he could hear what President Stasny was saying as well, and what news her attendants brought her. What news about Jessie and her captors.

Hadji put his hand on Jonny's shoulder and Jonny looked at his brother. The determined look on Hadji's face reminded Jonny to be calm. And patient. They would get Jessie back. Every single one of them would give their all to see her returned.

President Stasny threw open the doors of a conference room. A long table split the space, its top polished to a high gloss and surrounded by high-backed chairs. The room was sparingly decorated with potted trees, a few pieces of art on the walls, side tables with plants and statuettes. This was a room meant for conducting business.

Race guided Estella into one of the chairs near the door and whispered something to her before joining President Stasny at the head of the table with her head of security and a few other people wearing dress uniforms and serious looks on their faces. Baron Reznicek's head of security was present as well. Kladivo, his name was, Jonny remembered from their first encounter with Reznicek.

Jonny wanted to join them, find out what they knew, what their plans were. But Hadji stopped and sat next to Estella. Thinking of Jessie, Jonny chose to sit beside her mom as well. He'd want to be able to tell Jessie he'd looked after Estella. When they got Jessie back.

They would get Jessie back. Jonny wouldn't doubt it. Couldn't doubt it.

Jonny took one of Estella's hands. "Estella, believe what Race said. We're gonna get her back. There's no way Race is gonna let anything happen to her."

Estella's eyes closed at Jonny's words. Her hand tightened around his, reminding him of how it had felt to hold Jessie's hand that evening.

"I know," she said so softly. "He always does."

She opened her eyes and turned them on Jonny. They were so identical to Jessie's he was rendered speechless. But Estella's green eyes were filled with the haunted look of a mother who has experienced such loss before and the truth that it never gets easier.

Estella's voice sounded dry and weak when she spoke. "You tried to stop them. I heard you tell Race that."

Jonny nodded and swallowed, a painful action after being choked by the man who'd taken Jessie from him.

Literally ripped her from his arms.

Estella's fingertips brushed at his throat, so gently he felt no pain. "These look like they hurt terribly."

Jonny guessed the guy who'd choked him out had left some nice bruises for him. He shook his head. He didn't know how to say to Estella that they didn't hurt anywhere near as much as losing Jessie.

"Thank you for what you did," Estella said.

Without thinking, Jonny hugged the woman. Estella returned the embrace with as much strength. Her shoulder pressed into his bruises, but Jonny didn't complain. He'd earned those bruises, and he deserved the pain they brought him for letting the gunmen take Jessie.

"Boys," Dr. Quest said to get his sons' attention.

Jonny and Hadji both looked up at their dad, Jonny without letting go of Estella. Benton looked solemn at the scene he was interrupting. Catching Jonny's eyes, father and son shared a brief and silent exchange.

 _Is she okay?_

 _She's hanging in there._

 _You're doing good, son._

 _I'm doing my best._

"I'm heading up to gather our equipment from our room so we can begin searching for possible culprits," Benton explained in a low voice. "I'll need your help, Hadji."

"Of course," Hadji agreed as he rose.

He cast one last glance, meant to be assuring and comforting, at Jonny before he left with their dad.

Jonny tightened his hold on Estella. He lay his cheek against her hair the exact same shade as Jessie's. His grief blind-sided him, swallowed him.

* * *

Race tapped his foot as he watched Benton and Hadji set up laptops and hook them into the flat screens President Stasny had ordered set up along one wall. He had too much nervous energy he needed to expel. He wanted to be out searching for Jessie, but he had to heed the gunman's warning.

Setting up the computers, getting them booted up, hooking them all in, was taking too long. The Prague police Chief Constable and the Czech Chief of Police were conferencing with Kladivo and the castle head of security. In Czech. He tried not to feel like they were purposefully leaving him out.

Race's gaze wandered to the end of the table where Jonny sat with his ex-wife. The pair sat quietly next to each other, but the look on the young man's face reminded Race of when he'd first come to live with the Quests. Jonny had often worn that look as he'd dealt with the death of his mother.

Seeing them wasn't helping his anxiety.

 _Jessie's alive_ , Race thought at the young man. _And we're going to get her back._

Race turned away and approached the group of men talking in Czech.

"Gentlemen, tell me what we know so far," Race requested using his most authoritative voice.

The men quieted and turned to look at him. He saw several looks pass between the members of the group.

"Mr. Bannon, we appreciate your enthusiasm and your personal stake in this matter, but please allow us to do our jobs and get your daughter back," the Czech police chief kindly requested.

"Don't talk to me like I'm some civilian who has no clue what he's doing," Race responded through a clenched jaw.

"We know of your reputation-" the head of security began.

"You and the gunmen both," Race interrupted him, growling. "They weren't worried about a single one of you."

"All the more reason for you to sit this investigation out," Kladivo said roughly.

"Out of the question."

It wasn't Race who addressed the men, but President Stasny. She stepped up to stand next to Race, looking over the group of men with hard eyes.

"I am ashamed at you," she told the men in a low voice.

Race saw sparks of protest start in their eyes, but President Stasny gave them no chance to voice their objections.

"Must I remind you that when Praha and our great Republic were threatened by General Vostok and his creature, it was this man and his colleagues who stopped it when none of you could," President Stasny scolded.

Her head of security and the Prague and Czech police chiefs looked away abashedly. Only Kladivo looked at her, not yet convinced.

"And were it my life at stake, there is no man in this room that I would trust to rescue me more. Kladivo, he will find Jarek," President Stasny pressed with conviction. "Wherever he is, so is Mr. Bannon's daughter. We find one, we find them both."

Kladivo stared at the Madame President for a long moment before he bowed slightly to her. "If you believe Mr. Bannon to be the best man for this job, then I will leave you to it. If you will excuse me, I need to meet with and debrief my own security team."

The man walked stiffly and resolutely out of the room before he could hear any objections. Race watched the man go, feeling better that he wasn't sticking around, though he couldn't pinpoint why.

Race would waste none of his time lamenting the loss of the man. "Have we started accounting for all the guests, the servants and staff?" Race asked the men who had stayed behind. "Anybody who was already at the party? We haven't allowed anyone to leave, have we?"

"No, Mr. Bannon. I already have men working on accounting for all guests," the head of security responded.

Race turned to the Prague police chief. "We'll need access to the CCTV network. Do we have any witnesses to describe the getaway car? Tell us what direction they were headed in?"

"I will talk to my men, see what they have found," the chief said, leaving with a nod of respect to President Stasny.

"This is odd," Hadji's voice rang out.

Race turned to join Hadji and Benton at the laptops. President Stasny was right behind him.

"What is it?" Race asked.

"Once the laptops booted, the first thing I did was to run the locating program for Jessie's phone. I have pinged it several times, but it continues to tell me that she is here at the castle," Hadji explained.

"That's obviously not right," Benton muttered, furiously tapping away at his own machine.

"Yes it is," came from the other end of the table.

Jonny was looking at the group, his face somehow going even paler. He was digging in his jacket pocket. What he pulled from it he placed on the table in front of him.

Jessie's phone.

"She gave it to me. To hold onto," he explained, unable to take his eyes off the device. "She said she didn't want to carry a purse. She put it in my pocket herself."

Everyone stared in silence for a moment at the phone lying on the table.

Holding in an exasperated sigh, Race spoke. "Well, our best lead is worthless. We've got a lot of work to do to find Jessie and the baron."


	11. Chapter 11

Title: _Love and War_ , 11/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: November 5, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 11

Race paced. It was all he could do. Benton and Hadji worked at the computers. The castle head of security and dual chiefs of police worked with their people, relaying the updates they brought and coordinating their assignments.

The updates were very little.

Which left very little for Race to do. Which made every passing minute all the more maddening.

If they could just figure out _who_ was behind the attacks, he could start a plan of action. If they could just get _one_ small hint as to who was behind the attacks, he could tackle that puzzle. But there was nothing.

Race's gaze drifted further down the table to where his daughter's phone still lay. Jonny had left it there after revealing he had it. Nobody touched it. As if they were all waiting for Jessie herself to come pick it up—like she'd forgotten it and was going to come back for it at any second.

Race shook his head and looked away. Jonny and Estella were still sitting together, both of them quiet. Jonny's dark look worried Race, but he couldn't focus on it right now. All his attention had to be for rescuing Jessie. Next to the young man, Estella was quiet and distant.

They'd both be better once Jessie was safely back again, Race assured himself.

"Race, I think I have it," Hadji said quietly.

In two quick steps Race was standing behind Hadji, leaning over him. The young man had hacked into Prague's CCTV network long before the chief constable had been able to get him access, much to the man's chagrin. The valet staff had been able to identify the car the gunmen had shoved Jessie and Baron Reznicek into for the police: a town car that had easily blended in with the rest of the vehicles waiting outside Prague castle. Hadji had been working to follow the vehicle's path from the castle gates out of the city.

"Show me," Race ordered.

Hadji hit play. The low-quality video was spliced together from multiple cameras but, to Hadji's credit, it was smooth.

The town car pulled away from the line of cars with what Race could only imagine was a squealing of tires. The CCTV didn't record sound, just video. The point of view shifted, showing the car racing along Prague's streets, weaving around traffic, busting through a few red lights.

After a few miles, the driver slowed and began following traffic laws, blending in with the rest of the cars on the streets. At times Race was amazed at how Hadji was able to follow the car's progress.

"IRIS was invaluable in helping me keep track of the car when it blended in. She was able to pick up enough of the license plate or recognize the driving pattern," Hadji said as if he'd read Race's mind.

Race wouldn't put it past the young man.

The car left the busier streets and eventually turned down a dark alley. There was no movement for a few minutes, then the car reappeared as well as a delivery van, unmarked and non-descript. The video stopped, leaving the image of the car heading down the street, the van pointed in the opposite direction waiting to turn from the alley still.

"I tracked both vehicles at this point," Hadji explained. "Jessie and Baron Reznicek must have been moved to the van. The town car drives around for another half an hour until the driver parks it and simply walks away. The van heads immediately out of town."

"Dammit," Race cursed, straightening. He looked at his watch. "It's already been two hours since they were taken."

 _Since_ Jessie _was taken_.

"What direction were they headed out of town?" Race asked.

"Southwest," Hadji replied.

Race stared at the image of the van just turning out of the alley. "Do we have the license plate number of the van?"

"Of course," Hadji said. "Though I imagine with all this planning, they have probably made plans to switch out plates once they leave the city. Or even change vehicles again away from the watchful street cameras."

"Agreed, but it's worth a shot. Do we know the location of the original getaway car?"

"Naturally." Hadji began writing in a small notebook next to his laptop.

Race looked over to where the chiefs of police were conversing with their people. He waited to catch one of their eye, and then waved them over.

"Mr. Bannon?"

"I need you to send men to this location," Race handed the slip of paper Hadji had given him over to the Czech chief of police. "You should be able to locate the car the abductors took from the castle. I don't know if we'll find anything useful there, but it's better than nothing. The license plate number for the vehicle is listed." Race accepted a second slip of paper from Hadji and handed it over. "This is a description and the license plate number of the vehicle we believe my daughter and the baron are currently being transported in. Get an APB out on it."

"We will not want to attempt to stop the vehicle," the Czech police chief said.

"You're right. Just have your officers keep an eye out for it and report any sightings of it. Emphasize they are not to stop or approach the vehicle for any reason," Race pressed.

The Czech police chief stepped away to relay the directions.

"My men have finalized the count on all the guests and staff, and all are accounted for," the Prague chief constable reported.

Race cursed, turning and pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. "This makes no sense," he exclaimed. "There's no way those goons got past security, especially not armed. If they weren't snuck in with the staff, then how did they get into the castle?"

"What about bodyguards?"

Race snapped around to look at Jonny. The young man looked more alert than he had since Jessie had been taken.

"Most of them would already be in the castle, and they'd be approved to carry weapons," Jonny continued.

The wheels in Race's head started turning immediately. He turned back to the Prague chief constable. "Did your staff account for personal protection?"

The chief constable blanched. "I do not believe so."

"How many guests actually have their own security?" Race asked.

The man shook his head.

"Not many," Stasny's head of security stepped in to say.

"Then it should be easy to account for them," Race said. "Let's get a list drawn up. Both of who brought their own security and how many they brought."

The head of security nodded and turned away.

"Race," Benton called softly.

Race returned to stand behind Hadji and Benton.

"I just received the forensics report from this afternoon's shooting," Benton said.

"Anything?"

Benton shook his head. "Nothing to indicate where the shooter came from or why he chose to open fire on a public street. They're still working to identify the man."

"So there's nothing to link the man to Jessie and Reznicek's abduction tonight," Race said in frustration.

"And nothing to say he wasn't connected," Benton added. "Nothing much at all. He's unusually clean."

"Which gives us nothing," Race sighed, rubbing his face.

"Mr. Bannon, the list of guests with personal security," the head of security said, coming up behind Race.

Race turned and took the list, grateful for the man's promptness. He scanned it quickly. It was a short list. Only one name stuck out to him.

"I think I'd like to personally have a talk with Baron Reznicek's security team," Race said.

"Are you saying they are under suspicion? The bodyguards of the very man who was targeted?" the head of security asked, aghast.

Race leveled his gaze at the man. "Everyone is under suspicion."

The man couldn't keep Race's gaze for very long. He looked away as he muttered, "I will have my men check with the others."

"Keep me updated if anything comes up," Race told the man. He swept his gaze to Benton and Hadji to include them as well.

He received a nod of confirmation from them before he rushed from the room.

"Race!"

He turned around and Jonny was jogging toward him.

"What's up, kiddo?" Race asked, keeping his voice light.

"You're going to talk to Reznicek's bodyguards?" Jonny asked.

"I am," Race confirmed. He wasn't sure how much he wanted to involve Jonny with the state the young man was in.

"Jessie didn't trust him," Jonny blurted out. "I don't know if she had a chance to mention it to you."

Race's eyebrows arched. "She didn't."

"She was running a background check on him," Jonny revealed.

 _Good girl_. A wave of pride and relief, short-lived as it was, washed over Race.

"Can you go get it?"

Jonny nodded. "Jessie gave me her room key to hold along with her phone."

"Do it. I'll have that talk with Kladivo and his men. We'll meet back up in the conference room to compare notes."

The moment he finished, Jonny was off, running down the hall. Race watched him go until the young man left his sight. He took a deep breath then strode off in his own direction, headed for Baron Reznicek's suite and Kladivo.


	12. Chapter 12

Title: _Love and War_ , 12/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: November 9, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 12

Jessie glared at the men holding guns surrounding her. Her mouth was a thin line, and her hands clutched the edge of the bench seat she sat on so tightly her knuckles ached. A bruise had formed on her upper arm where the man at the party had grabbed and held onto her, dragging her from the party. From the castle.

From Jonny.

Not a single one of her abductors returned her look, or even acknowledged her. They sat stolidly holding onto their guns in an easy ready position, staring straight ahead. Even the driver was armed.

The van they rode in hummed along the highway winding through the dark countryside. Snow covered trees flashed by on either side of the road in the vehicle's headlights. The only windows were in the front of the van and Jessie kept her eye out for any landmarks. Just like her dad had taught her.

The men hadn't worried about blindfolding her or Baron Reznicek. They hadn't worried about tying their prisoners up at all. Jessie and the baron both sat completely unbound. Apparently they thought a van full of men holding semi-automatic weapons was enough to discourage any ideas of escape or resistance.

They were completely wrong. Jessie wasn't stupid enough to take on these men head on, but she could be patient and wait for the right moment. Just like her dad had taught her.

He was coming for her. There was no doubt in her mind. And so she bided her time.

Reznicek sat silently with his hands wadded together in his lap, glancing nervously at the armed men. Jessie caught his terrified gaze once or twice, and tried to return it with a reassuring look of her own, but she wasn't sure he was getting her message. She debated speaking to him, but their captors had ordered silence and these men didn't seem the type to tolerate insolence.

Jessie looked ahead to the dashboard. The driver was going the same speed as when they'd left Prague: just a couple of miles over the speed limit. These men were intelligent. Too slow would be just as suspicious as too fast. They'd done their research to figure out what would make them stick out the least and keep them from drawing the attention of the police. This late at night there weren't many other cars on the road. Jessie hadn't seen all that many headlights go by in the opposite direction.

She could just barely read the glowing, blue digits of the clock. It had been three hours since she and Reznicek had been taken. And an hour and a half since they'd left Prague.

Patience.

She studied the men, but nothing unique stuck out about any of them. She couldn't even have said who the leader was. They didn't speak to her or the baron, and they barely communicated with each other. When they did it was usually in looks and grunts. These men had worked together long enough to be able to communicate in such a manner. It was a small piece of information, but it was important. Throwing these men off would be difficult.

Jessie glanced around at her still, silent guards. It was time she test the water with them.

"Are we there yet?" she asked in her whiniest voice.

"Quiet!"

The order came from behind her. But when Jessie glanced over her shoulder at the two men in the back seat, she couldn't tell who had spoken. Neither man looked at her, nor did they seem to care how long she glared at them.

She turned to look forward through the windshield again.

"See, the thing is, I need to pee," Jessie said loudly.

No response.

"Like, about to burst and wet myself kind of need to pee," she added.

Nothing.

"Well, if you guys like the smell of urine."

"You shut up now or we make you shut up."

Jessie froze. The order had been whispered in her ear from behind. The man lingered, as if waiting for her to defy him. Jessie shook—not from fear—and bit her bottom lip, wanting so badly to react to the man's threat, but knowing better. This wasn't the time. It wasn't a battle she would win. When she said nothing more, he leaned back again.

Jessie stole a quick glance at the man. He was as stoic as ever. Like their exchange had never happened.

As she turned back around, Reznicek caught her eye with a wide-eyed stare. She could see the pleading in his dark eyes not to test their guards any further. Jessie held his gaze for a moment, then looked forward once more.

The trees flashed by for another half hour, the vehicle silent the entire time, before the van began to slow.

All Jessie could see was trees and snow.

Another vehicle change, she assumed. Prague was full of CC cameras, and surely the police would eventually determine the kidnappers had used this van with this license plate. Her dad and the Quests had probably already figured it out. Changing out here in the country where there were no cameras to see was a no brainer. Her abductors were even clever enough to pull off the main highway a couple miles down a side road to make the exchange. They could leave the van here for days before it was discovered or reported.

If she was going to escape, this was the time to do it. No telling where the abductors planned to take her and Reznicek. Or how much longer they felt they'd need her. And Jessie had no doubt, once she was no longer necessary to these men, that they'd simply shoot her and leave her body in a ditch.

The driver remained in the van while the man in the passenger seat climbed out and opened the car door. Jessie shivered involuntarily when the winter night air hit her. The man from the passenger seat grabbed her arm in a vice grip and yanked her from the seat. She almost fell to the snowy ground as she was dragged from the vehicle. The frigid wind tore through her thin dress, raising goosebumps on her skin, and whipped her hair around in the light flurries that were starting to fall.

Jessie looked around. There were no lights except the headlights from the two vehicles and the light from the sliver of pale winter moon reflecting off the snow. Only a new driver seemed to occupy the exchange van, identical make and model to the one she'd just been pulled from, but in a different color and obviously with a different license plate.

The men in the backseat prodded Baron Reznicek from the car. He jumped out and followed Jessie and her watcher. The man pushed her along to the new vehicle without even waiting for the other men to depart from the back seat.

The odds still sucked, and if she failed, they'd probably kill her, but Jessie knew she wasn't going to get a better chance.

She waited until they came to the space between the vehicles.

Without warning, Jessie turned, pushing the man's arms and weapon up to the sky. She grabbed the gun and twisted, wrenching the semi-automatic from the man. She shoved her elbow into his gut followed by the stock of the gun to his head.

"RUN!" Jessie yelled as the man hit the ground.

She dashed between the vehicles, ducking low and heading for the trees. She didn't bother to check if Reznicek was following. If he wanted to stay behind and remain a prisoner, that was his prerogative.

The snow on the side of the road was much deeper than the packed stuff on the pavement. Jessie sank to her calves and snow seeped into her flats meant for dancing in palaces and definitely not trekking through snowbanks. She ignored the burning cold in her feet and legs and focused on making the tree line. It was no more than ten yards away from the road. A small blessing.

Gunshots hit the trees just as Jessie made the forest. She turned and fired blindly, unwilling to stop and make herself an easier target. She glimpsed the baron following her, ducking on her off side. She probably should have felt bad, but the men with guns were a bigger priority.

 _You better keep up._

Under the trees, the snow was thinner, impeding her less. Jessie ran as fast as she dared, zig-zagging around the trees. When she could no longer see the road or the cars or the men with guns, she changed direction, heading back toward the main highway. She hoped. If she hadn't gotten turned around in the forest.

If they could make the main highway, flag down a passing car headed back to Prague, they could lose these creeps for sure. They just had to stay ahead of the men that were surely looking for her and the baron.

A couple miles. Jessie was pretty confident they hadn't driven more than a couple miles off the highway. She could make that in twenty minutes easy on a good day.

Not that his was a good day. She wore flats instead of running shoes and a flowing skirt that wanted to tangle up in her legs. Not to mention no protection from the cold and Jessie was sure it was below freezing.

The movement would keep her warm. It would have to. The men weren't her only enemy out here.

"Ms. Bannon, please."

Jessie slowed, turned around to face the baron, but kept moving. He jogged to catch up to her. Jessie faced forward again once he was at her side.

"That was…" Reznicek shook his head.

"Necessary," Jessie supplied for him, constantly checking the trees for any signs of their pursuers.

"I am sorry you got involved in this," Reznicek said to her.

Jessie glanced at the man and reminded herself that, despite her dislike for him, he was a victim in this situation too. "Is this connected to the guy on the roof this afternoon?"

"I would not be surprised," was Reznicek's answer. After a short pause he said, "I'm also glad, that of all the people they could have taken, it was you. After seeing you in action this afternoon-"

"You would have been better off with my dad," Jessie cut him off. "Or even Jonny."

She swallowed and gripped her stolen gun tighter, shivers already starting in her core. She looked around the forest for any signs of pursuit.

She would get back to her family. She would.

"Ms. Bannon-"

"Look, we gotta keep our pace up," Jessie said, stifling any further questions from the man. "What's your running game like?"

The baron's brow furrowed in confusion. "I do not understand the question."

Jessie kept her frustration in check. Now was not the time. This situation was not the time. "Do you run? How fast are you?"

The baron looked around the night dark forest. "I run a seven-minute mile on a straight course."

"Then let's see if we can make the highway in the next twenty minutes."


	13. Chapter 13

Title: _Love and War_ , 13/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: November 12, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: To the guest who left me a review about how badass Jessie was (and damn was she ever), thank you and enjoy this new chapter. I hope it also helps you to have a better week.

Chapter 13

Race rapped on the door to Baron Reznicek's suite. The activity he heard behind it paused. He narrowed his gaze as he stared at the door, waiting for it to open.

He had that itch in the back of his head, right at the base of his skull. That one he got whenever something wasn't right. Jonny called it "the Bannon sixth sense".

 _Jessie didn't trust him._

That's what Jonny had said. She'd even gone so far as to run a background check on the baron.

If both Bannon sixth senses were tingling, Race wasn't going to question it.

It took too long for the door to open. When it did, Kladivo stood on the other side, leaving a space only big enough for himself to stand in.

Race stood calmly, naturally. There was something about the risk of a situation that relaxed him.

"Mr. Bannon," Kladivo said, looking Race up and down. "Can I help you? Have you run out of leads? Come to beg for my help?"

Race gave a slight shrug. "Not at all. I have a few questions for you."

Kladivo sneered.

"And your security team," Race added.

"My security team is busy trying to find Baron Reznicek," Kladivo informed. He scoffed, "Shouldn't you be doing the same for your daughter?"

"Oh, I am," Race assured quietly.

Kladivo drew back an inch, his face twisting up with outrage. "What are you insinuating?"

"It's a simple personnel check. All security teams are being counted. We're just covering our bases," Race explained.

"And what of your own security team?" Kladivo demanded.

"That's easy enough. It's just me. Here I am. Check."

"And I assure you my security team is accounted for, as well," Kladivo replied shortly.

"I'd like to see for myself," Race replied lightly.

"You will have to take my word for it," Kladivo told him with a narrowing of his eyes.

The Czech began to shut the door, but Race stomped his foot in the way, earning himself a teeth-baring sneer from Kladivo.

Race pulled his phone from his pocket. "At the risk of sounding clichéd, we can do this the easy way, or I can call President Stasny herself and let her know how uncooperative you're being. Then we can wait for her security to arrive."

Kladivo frowned. Race slid his thumb across his phone's screen and started tapping. There were a few moments that Kladivo glared at Race, while Race glanced between the man and his phone. When Race lifted the phone to his ear, Kladivo made an agitated sound, but he pushed the door open all the way.

Race stepped forward to enter the room, but Kladivo didn't remove his arm immediately. Race turned his head to look at the man, waiting patiently while Kladivo glared loathing back at him. Finally the man removed his arm and Race stepped into the suite.

It was every bit as lavish as deserving a baron of the Czech Republic who also acted as an ambassador for President Stasny. A few men moved quickly about the rooms, packing up gear and piling it into a neat stack.

Fewer than the list said the Baron had brought with him.

"Where are the rest of your men?" Race asked, watching the men work.

"This is everyone," Kladivo insisted.

Race turned around to look at Kladivo. He narrowed his eyes in that way he found made most people nervous. To his credit, Kladivo didn't even flinch.

Softly Race repeated, "I ask you again, Kladivo, where are the rest of your men?"

Kladivo stared back a few moments, raising his chin in an attempt to look down on Race, before answering. "A few of them are off on errands. To search for leads on the baron's kidnapper."

Race took a step toward the baron's head of security. "In direct opposition to the order that no one leave the castle?"

Kladivo stepped up to Race's challenge. "We do what we have to for the safety of our baron."

"I'll be reporting this violation to President Stasny herself." Race glanced over at the working men, then turned back to meet Kladivo's glare. "Are you planning on going somewhere?"

"As soon as the lockdown is lifted, we are going after Baron Reznicek."

Race's jaw tightened. His hands clenched into fists. "What do you mean you're going after Reznicek?"

"We are going to find him and the people who took him. They will pay-"

"You will stay away-"

"We will not let those men hurt our-"

"THAT'S MY DAUGHTER'S LIFE YOU'RE PUTTING ON THE LINE!"

Kladivo and Race stood toe to toe, breathing down each other's throats. The tips of their noses almost touched as they stared each other down.

"Your daughter is of no concern-"

Race jumped forward, shoving Kladivo into the wall, pressing his arm into Kladivo's neck before the bodyguard could finish that sentence. Kladivo fought back, and though he was strong, he was no match for Race's rage and adrenaline.

"Let me tell you what'll happen if one hair of Jessie's head is hurt if you-"

In the next moment, Race was dragged off Kladivo by his security team, cutting off Race's threat. Race strained against the men. It took all of them to constrain him from breaking free and attacking Kladivo again.

Kladivo stepped away from the wall and straightened his uniform. He worked his shoulders and neck, then leveled his gaze on Race. After a moment of rage-filled glaring, Kladivo back handed Race across the face.

Maybe he thought it would calm Race, or maybe he simply wanted revenge for Race's actions. Race fought harder against the hands and arms restraining him, moving the men holding him forward an inch or two.

"You've had your look around," Kladivo said, frowning angrily at Race. "Now get out of my way. Baron Reznicek's life is in danger."

The men muscled Race from the room as Race continued to struggle against them. He shouted as he was expelled from the suite.

"I'll see you again, Kladivo. And I promise you, if you do anything that puts my daughter in further danger, if you do anything that harms her, directly or indirectly, you will pay for it. I'll collect that debt personally."

With a nod of his head, Kladivo signaled for his men to dispose of Race. With effort they threw him out into the hall. The door slammed behind Race, the locks clicking into place.

Race turned and glared at the door. And the man who stood behind it. He imagined Kladivo doing the same. Race's teeth clenched together.

He made himself walk away. No matter how badly he wanted to bust the door down and break Kladivo's face, Race knew now was not the time to push it. It wouldn't get Jessie back and he had to focus on finding her.

Race tried to get himself to relax as he headed for the conference room, but his muscles refused to uncoil. When he entered the conference room and everyone looked up at him, he knew how he must look to them. But he ignored them all.

Race cast his eyes about. Benton was still working at the laptops he and Hadji had brought down. Estella had moved to sit next to him. Jonny and Hadji huddled together over a laptop next to Estella. Her head swiveled back and forth as she watched the Quests work with pursed lips and narrowed eyes.

Race strode over to join his family and Estella turned to look up at him.

"You always get her back," Estella said softly, showing how well she still knew him, how well she could still read him after all these years.

"I will this time too, Stel," Race promised.

She nodded and turned back to the Quests. Race rubbed her back comfortingly as he shifted his attention to the boys. Thankfully Jonny looked much more alert and aware than he had immediately after Jessie's abduction. Having something concrete to do—something to focus on—always made Jonny feel better in situations like these.

Race realized with a jolt that the laptop Jonny and Hadji were working on was Jessie's.

"How's it going?" Race asked, trying not to sound pushy. He knew the young men were doing their absolute best in helping to find his daughter.

Jonny had been glancing at Race and Estella during their little exchange. He looked relieved to have Race address him directly.

"We're trying to figure out her password. If Hadji can't get it, I'm not sure we'll be able to get in," Jonny said honestly.

"I will get it," Hadji replied, his attention solely on the laptop screen.

"How did it go with the baron's men?" Jonny asked.

He'd finally been starting to relax, but Jonny's question made Race tense up again.

"Get into that laptop," Race answered. "I want to know what Jessie dug up on the baron."

* * *

Jessie ignored the shivering in her body as she ran through the trees, her stolen gun held tight against her body. The baron ran next to her, easily keeping up with her pace. They moved as quickly as they dared in the low light, afraid of tripping on a root or stepping in a hole and twisting an ankle. The last thing they needed was anything that would slow them down and give their pursuers more of an advantage.

Jessie did her best to keep an eye on her perimeter, but she hadn't seen or heard any sign of their captors since they'd ditched them on the deserted, Czech country road. She tried to guess how long they'd been running, but it was impossible without a watch or her phone.

 _Stupid. That's what you get for being lazy._

Jessie was sure, when she saw him again, her dad was going to scold her for not keeping her phone on her.

Another shiver ripped through her body, almost pushing her out of rhythm.

 _Think warm, Bannon._

Jessie remembered a study she'd read that claimed imagining warmer places could raise the body's temperature by a few degrees. It wasn't hard to recall memories of summer morning runs, the sun just rising over the ocean…

 _Jessie raised her face to the dawning sun as she jogged along the beach. The salty breeze coming off the ocean cooled the sweat on her face and body. The sun's rays on the clouds lit up the sky in purples and pinks. The water reflected the colors of the sky, doubling the beauty of the scenery._

" _Aren't you glad I get you up to run with me every morning?" Jonny asked._

 _He ran ahead of her, but he'd turned around to jog backward so he could talk to her. And he did it effortlessly._

 _Jessie rolled her eyes. "I suppose the view is better than sleeping in."_

 _Jonny laughed and turned to face forward again without missing a beat. Jessie pushed herself to keep up with him, but she'd been running with him for years. She was used to falling behind._

 _And if she was being completely honest with herself, she didn't really mind. The view really_ was _better than sleeping in._

 _The breeze rippled through Jonny's thick hair, playing with it as he ran. The sun shone golden on his skin, the play of light and shadow defining the muscles in his arms and legs as he moved._

 _And he moved so beautifully, so fluidly._

 _The breeze passed again, blowing his loose clothes against his body to show off the cut of his muscled physique._

 _Jessie looked out at the sunrise once more. She let the breeze cool the sudden heat in her cheeks._

Another violent shiver. Jessie pulled her bare arms in tighter to her torso in an effort to conserve body heat, but running that way was awkward. She did her best to step lightly in her flimsy shoes, keep as much snow out as possible. She was seriously afraid of the threat of frostbite. Her feet were so cold they were getting to the point where she couldn't feel them. She wasn't sure if that was a blessing or a curse.

"Look." Baron Reznicek pointed ahead of them.

There was a break in the trees a hundred yards ahead and beyond that the road. Hopefully the highway.

Jessie risked increasing her pace and Reznicek kept up with her. They reached the tree line and Jessie had to remind herself to stop. Breathing hard, gripping her gun to keep her fingers warm, she looked up and down the road.

It was dark and deserted.

"What now?" Reznicek asked.

Jessie looked at him. He was looking to her, watching her. The night shadows made it hard to read his face.

"We start heading back to Prague. Wait for a car to come by and flag it down. Pray it stops."

"The people of Praha, of this great Republic, are kind and generous. Someone will help us," Reznicek assured. After a moment he added, "The men who took us are surely looking for us."

"We'll want to stay in the trees," Jessie responded, "until we see a vehicle coming."

"How can we be sure it isn't our captors?" Reznicek asked.

Jessie shook her head. "We can't. But it's a chance we'll have to take." She held out the gun for a moment. "Hopefully this will be enough to deter them so we can get away again."

"I know you know how to use that," Reznicek commented softly. "Still, it's not very good odds."

Jessie's eyes drifted to the road. "I'm used to not very good odds." She rose abruptly. "We should start moving. Keep moving. It'll be good for both of us."

She trudged through the snow as another gust of wind swept through the trees and straight through her. The flimsy skirt of her dress billowed out, and Jessie grabbed at the edges of the slit in an effort to keep her already freezing legs covered.

Something dropped around her shoulders. Jessie looked down at the dark cloth hanging on her body. Baron Reznicek's tuxedo jacket. It was still warm from Reznicek's body heat. She looked up at him shivering in his white shirt.

"It is the least I can do and so very little," he told her, his dark eyes shining at her. "I wish there were more. I owe you so much more."

Jessie chewed on the inside of her lip as she considered him. "You'll freeze."

Reznicek checked the gold watch on his wrist. "It's been about half an hour since we escaped the men. Half an hour of exposure. We are both already freezing. I suggest we run again. It will help to keep the blood flowing."

Jessie nodded her agreement. And her thanks. She passed the gun between her hands as she slipped her arms into the sleeves. Even though it would make little difference, she buttoned the buttons.

With one last look out on the deserted highway, Jessie forced her feet to move again, forced her legs to run. And Baron Reznicek ran beside her.


	14. Chapter 14

Title: _Love and War_ , 14/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: November 16, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: I apologize that this is later than usual. This morning I was distracted. And then once I get to work I have no way of posting so I had to wait until I got home. Then I almost forgot again until I got a couple of well-timed reviews that reminded me I hadn't put the newest chapter up! So here you go. Late, but not late. ^_^ As a consolation, it's one of my longer chapters.

Chapter 14

"I got it!"

Jonny sat up straight at Hadji's triumphant declaration. Around the room, the heads of the security team members and the police swiveled in Hadji's direction. Benton and Estella turned toward them and Race came to join the brothers.

"What did Jessie's search pull up?" Race asked, leaning in closer as his eyes searched the information on the screen.

Jonny watched Hadji flip through the various windows and programs. It had been just that afternoon he'd watch Jessie open them all, setting search parameter after search parameter.

She'd been so nice and warm leaning against him. And comfortable. She'd made his heart race in a good way.

He'd hold her like that again, Jonny promised himself. For the rest of their lives. Because Jessie was coming back alive and well.

"What is it? What have you found?" President Stasny asked as she joined the group.

Jonny glanced at Race. The man looked hesitant to reveal what they were working on. But Stasny's look was determined and Race gave in. The whole group was silent and Jonny watched their exchange from the corner of his eye, not wanting to be too obvious about his quasi-eaves dropping.

"Jessie ran a background check on Baron Reznicek. We're just checking it for clues," Race said carefully.

"You mean you are checking it for any clues that he is a suspect," President Stasny accused softly.

Race hesitated a moment, then nodded.

With a glance at her security team, Stasny stepped forward and kept her voice low. "Do you really think he could be behind this?"

"I have to believe anyone could be behind it. I'm just being thorough," Race explained.

"But he was kidnapped as well as your daughter," Stasny protested, the volume of her voice increasing.

"We will also be searching for clues as to who took Baron Reznicek and why," Hadji cut in. "Perhaps there is something to reveal their motivation or even identity."

Jonny silently thanked Hadji for being Hadji. The Madame President looked around the group of men. With surrender in her face, she nodded her approval.

"I want to see Jessie returned safely. You know that, Race," she emphasized. "I want them both returned safely."

"I know."

"And I want to know the truth behind the abduction," President Stasny added.

"We'll get to the bottom of it, Alena," Jonny told her.

"I know you will, Angel," Stasny assured before leaving them to their searching.

"There is a lot of raw information," Hadji said to fill the awkward silence left behind by President Stasny's leaving. "It will take some time to sift through."

"Send me a copy," Benton requested. "I've been looking at the information from the forensics workup of the shooter this afternoon. If I haven't found anything by now, there's nothing to find."

Jonny hopped out of his chair and slipped past Race to join his dad. "Send me a copy as well. The more eyes we have on this, the better."

With a few quick taps on the keyboard, Hadji did as requested. By the time Jonny settled next to his dad and woke up the second laptop, the information had compiled on his screen.

"How long?" Race asked. He straightened and crossed his arms over his chest.

"It is impossible to tell. Jessie was very thorough. We could find something very quickly, or it could be a few hours," Hadji said honestly.

"I'm going to give IRIS some parameters to search by," Jonny said. "She'll be able to work faster than we will."

"Good idea, Jonny. Hadji and I will start looking through this manually. As soon as we find anything, we'll let you know," Benton told Race.

Race nodded and moved away from the Quests to give them room to work.

Jonny watched his bodyguard—his friend, his second father—out of the corner of his eyes as he began programming instructions for IRIS. Race exhaled loudly and rubbed at his face. He paced the perimeter of the room, stopping to check in with the police and security teams. Conferencing briefly with President Stasny. Pausing to encourage Estella.

Jonny understood how he felt, the restlessness. The need to do something when there was nothing to be done but sit and wait. He was buzzing with energy and adrenaline and the need to go rescue Jessie.

But they had no leads, no directions. And thus nowhere to go for now.

"We'll find something," Jonny said when Race passed by again. He didn't look up from his computer screen or stop typing, though he sensed Race stop behind him. "Either something to tell us who kidnapped Jessie and Baron Reznicek and why. Or something to show he's connected to the abduction somehow." Jonny paused, then added, "We'll get her back."

He said it for himself as much as for Race.

Jonny glanced up at his bodyguard and friend. The older man's face was tense and taut, his eyes looking off into the distance as if they could see Jessie and where she was and if she was safe or not.

After a moment, Race's gaze shifted and he found Jonny's empathetic and determined eyes.

"Of course we will," Race said.

Race started his pacing again, moving away from Jonny. Jonny turned back to his screen after watching Race a few moments longer. He attacked the keyboard with renewed vigor.

He wasn't going to let Race or Jessie down. He was going to find something that would lead them to her.

* * *

"How long?" Jessie asked, hating the way her teeth chattered speaking even just two words.

"Thirty minutes since we began following the highway," Reznicek answered after a brief pause to check his watch. His voice stuttered with cold as well.

 _Too long. We need help soon._

They'd not stopped running since reaching the highway. It was too dangerous. But even with the activity, Jessie knew their body temperatures were dropping too low. Her shivering was growing more constant, and glances at the baron revealed he was in much the same condition.

The residual heat in the baron's tuxedo jacket had long disappeared. Jessie couldn't feel her feet anymore. But what could she do? What could either of them do?

 _Come on. Just one car. Just one._

It became Jessie's mantra as she ran. Her thoughts in rhythm with her footfalls. Almost a prayer. Her _Abuelita_ was a practicing Catholic, though neither Jessie nor her mom had ever been very religious.

 _Strong hope_ , Jessie told herself.

And then a light in the distance.

"Do you see that?" Jessie asked, afraid to let herself get excited.

"Headlights," Reznicek confirmed.

"C'mon, we gotta get out to the road." Jessie grabbed Reznicek's arm and dragged him out of the trees, through the snowdrifts that burned her calves with cold and onto the gravelly shoulder.

"They are not headed toward Praha," the baron noted.

"It doesn't matter. We have to get out of the cold. As long as they take us anywhere we can contact my dad. And the authorities."

"It could be our captors."

"That's a risk we have to take."

Reznicek voiced no more objections. He'd let Jessie lead him out of the trees without any resistance.

Standing on the side of the road, Jessie held the gun behind her back and waved with her free arm. Next to her, the baron waved his arms in the air. The white sleeves of his dress shirt almost seemed to glow as the vehicle grew closer, the light from its headlights brighter.

That light shone in Jessie's eyes, blinding her. The tires crunched in the snow and gravel as the vehicle slowed to a stop in front of them. Jessie narrowed her eyes against the glare of the light, trying to figure out what kind of car it was.

Her heart dropped from her chest when she heard the soft rubbing of metal on metal as the van door slid open. Jessie could barely see the silhouettes of the men as they jumped out of the van. She simply raised her gun and—fighting the stiffness in her hands from the cold—pulled the trigger.

Baron Reznicek pulled Jessie back towards the woods even before she could begin to push him in that direction. Their abductors fired back at them with quick bursts from their own weapons and Jessie and Reznicek ducked down.

Jessie aimed another few rounds at the van, firing blindly behind herself, ignoring the pain it caused her frozen hands to squeeze the trigger and hold the gun even half steady. She held onto Reznicek and ran with him back into the trees. The men yelled to each other in Czech.

"They're following us," Reznicek summarized for her.

"Just keep running," Jessie huffed as she gulped down frigid air.

They ran blindly. Jessie held onto her gun with a death grip, ignoring the ache of the cold. She didn't know how much ammunition she had left and couldn't check it on the run. So she conserved it for when she'd really need it.

"We can't keep this up," Reznicek yelled to her.

"What choice do we have?" Jessie yelled back. She was so tired of that phrase.

She looked behind them. In the light shining from the van she could see dark forms moving among the trees. Behind and to the sides. They were catching up, surrounding them.

These men who had protective gear, and weren't exhausted and half frozen.

 _Think, Bannon!_

The only chance they'd have is to get back to the vehicle and commandeer it. Jessie tried to do a quick count of the men following them, but it was hard to tell. It seemed at least enough that only one or two would be left back with the van. If they could sneak up on it, she could take out whoever had been left behind and the van would be theirs.

"This way," Jessie ordered, pulling the baron off to the left.

They'd have to circle back, avoiding the men, and get back to the van before their pursuers realized what she was planning. How far had they gone from the road? Jessie could still see the light from the headlights faintly in the distance.

"Where are we going?" Reznicek asked, though he followed her.

"We're heading back to the highway. Our best chance is to steal their vehicle," Jessie answered.

She slowed and ducked down next to a thick stand of trees, pulling Reznicek down with her. Carefully she checked for the men, counting them. Four. That meant only one waiting back at the van, unless they'd brought reinforcements. Jessie didn't think so. There had only been the one vehicle. She was pretty sure.

It didn't matter. This was their one shot.

"Follow me," Jessie ordered in a whisper.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Reznicek asked, stopping Jessie.

She turned and looked at him. Again his face was shadowy and impossible to read.

"No. I don't think it's a good idea. But we're both slowly dying from exposure. And we're being hunted by men with guns. We have no idea what they want with us. Most likely if they capture us they'll kill me. Either we get that vehicle, or we resign ourselves to death by bullet or death by hypothermia."

Reznicek nodded.

Turning her attention back to their pursuers, Jessie rose to a crouch and rushed forward to her next hiding spot. Moving this way, she could only cover a few feet at a time. But if she ran outright like they'd been doing, the men would spot her for sure. And Jessie wouldn't be able to keep an eye on them in order to avoid them.

Reznicek was her shadow, moving when she moved, hiding when she hid. He asked no more questions, simply followed along behind her.

Jessie ran forward again and hid amidst a few close growing trees. She watched one of the men walk past them a hundred yards away. She held her breath and counted twenty heartbeats before she rose and ran again.

This time she didn't stop, though she stayed low and put as many trees and bushes between herself and the man as quickly as possible. She heard Reznicek's breathing indicating he was still with her.

When Jessie looked over her shoulder and couldn't immediately see the gunmen anymore, she straightened fully and ran with all her might toward the light. No gun shots, no shouting from the men. Jessie thanked the cosmos as she flew through the trees, Reznicek soaring along next to her.

She slowed to a stop before she hit the edge of the forest. The light coming from the van was bright enough for Jessie to see from farther back. And if she moved closer, she risked being spotted by the men on the highway.

Men. And more than just two. There was another vehicle idling behind the van. For a second time Jessie's heart sank. She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned her head against the tree she hid behind as she tried to think.

"Ms. Bannon, there are too many for us to take on. We've only your single weapon," Reznicek noted.

Jessie lifted her head and looked at the highway. "We have to try. We can't keep running around out here in the cold. We'll never survive."

Jessie looked at the baron. Again he was watching her. She tried to study his face, but the shadows garbled it.

He nodded at her. He was trusting her.

Jessie took a calming breath.

"Our goal is the van in front. I'm going to try to force the men away from it. You head for the van. You're going to have to drive. Ignore speed limits and traffic laws. Just get us away from these guys. Once we've lost them we can worry about finding civilization or getting back to Prague."

"I understand."

"Good," Jessie said. She eyed the group of men surrounding the vehicles one final time. "Let's do this."

She took her time moving forward through the trees, crouching low. She worked her frozen hands, trying to get the blood moving, so squeezing the trigger wouldn't be such an effort. She wanted to get as close to the men as possible without being seen, decrease the distance she and Reznicek had to cover before they revealed themselves. If they lost the element of surprise now, this plan would be a bust. And then they might as well give themselves up to their abductors.

Once Jessie was as close as she dared, she looked at Reznicek and waited until she caught his eye. With a nod, Jessie rose and opened fire.

The men scattered, ducking for cover while raising their own weapons. Already Reznicek was running, heading for the van. Jessie ran after him, laying down more suppressing fire, trying to keep the men from being able to shoot back.

The _rat-a-tat_ of her weapon turned to _clicks._

 _Shit!_

"Keep going!" Jessie yelled at Reznicek.

They were close. They could make it. They had to make it.

Their abductors realized Jessie wasn't shooting at them anymore. They popped out of their hiding places and fired back.

Jessie hit the ground, rolling through the snow. Clumsily, body aching with cold, she rose to her feet and began running again. Reznicek had veered away from the van, away from the bullets aimed at him.

The men spread out, blocking their access to the vehicle. They fired again. Jessie followed Reznicek off to the right, away from the vans. Away from their only means of escaping the men and the cold.

They cleared the snowbanks, hit the street and ran with all their might. Jessie pushed Reznicek across the street toward the other side of the road.

 _When running from a shooter, never run in a straight line. You're still too easy of a target if you do,_ her dad had always taught her.

"If we go into the forest again, we're dead," Reznicek argued before they reached the snowbanks on the other side.

"We're sitting ducks out here in the open," Jessie argued back.

The squealing of tires behind them signaled the men were pursuing in the van.

"They won't kill us," Reznicek reasoned.

"They won't kill you," Jessie shot back.

The lights behind them were growing brighter again.

"You're still valuable to them. It's your father they're worried about," Reznicek said.

"I've made myself too much of a liability," Jessie explained. "They won't risk me trying to escape again. They won't risk me helping you escape again."

 _Failed as this attempt was._

"So then we die of hypothermia," Reznicek stated.

The van was upon them. Jessie dived off the road, pushing Reznicek into the snowbanks on the shoulder. They both sunk completely into the deep snow.

Before they could get their bearing and regain their feet, they were surrounded by the bright shine of headlights and men with guns aimed at the pair.

Jessie gripped the empty gun she still held. Her mind weighed the options, calculated the risks.

"Ms. Bannon, I believe we should go with these men," Baron Reznicek said quietly to her as they stared up the barrels of half a dozen guns.

Jessie squeezed her eyes shut. The baron brushed against her, rising to his feet.

"Take her."

Jessie's eyes snapped open. She looked up at Reznicek, who looked down at her, smiling.

The men came forward to follow his order, roughly grabbing Jessie, snatching the useless gun from her hands, and forcing her back into the van.

The entire time Baron Reznicek watched her, unmolested by their captors, still smiling at her.


	15. Chapter 15

Title: _Love and War_ , 15/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: November 19, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: I'm a tad behind on review replies, but I plan on getting caught up soon. I used the Czech word for "yes", " _ano_ ", in this chapter. Since it sounds like "no", I thought I'd you all enjoy this new chapter!

Chapter 15

Jonny groaned as he stretched, rubbing his face with his hands then pushing them back through his hair. He cringed when he overstretched his bruised neck, and dropped his hands with a sigh, reaching for his coffee—his umpteenth cup. Even though it had long gone cold, he slammed it back, finishing what was left in the paper cup.

Just as Jonny was looking around for the castle staff member in charge of refills, Estella appeared with a coffee pot in hand. Quietly she filled his empty cup with steaming, dark brew.

"Thanks, Estella," Jonny said to her softly.

Estella looked at him and gave him a tired smile. "You and your family are doing so much to find my daughter. This is the least I can do to help you accomplish that."

"We'll find her," Jonny promised.

Estella nodded. "I know you will. Your family and Race. Together. You'll bring Jessie back to us."

She gave Jonny one more encouraging smile before moving on with the coffee pot to refill Hadji and Benton's cups.

Jonny took a moment to look around the conference room. When had it emptied out and gone quiet? Hours ago? Had it been that long? How long since Jessie and Baron Reznicek's abduction? Race was nowhere to be seen and Jonny wondered what errand the man was off seeing to.

Jonny's eyes flickered to the clock in the corner of the computer screen. He leaned forward with his head in his hands as his mind easily calculated how long it had been since Jessie had been taken from him.

Too long.

This late in the winter, the sun wouldn't rise for a few more hours yet. It would still be night dark outside. But it was morning.

 _We should all be sleeping soundly. Today we would've flown back to Maine. And maybe today Jessie and I would've been…_

Thinking about that constricted his heart and twisted his belly, so Jonny didn't let himself. He checked IRIS' progress in the multiple windows he had open. She still hadn't found anything worth reporting. On either side of him, Hadji and his dad combed through the information on Reznicek manually. They had to find something. Something on the guy himself, or something to say why he'd been taken. Who was after him?

Race entered the conference room from wherever he'd disappeared to. He walked around to where Jonny and his family were working through Jessie's background check of the baron. Estella came around from the other side to meet her ex. Race threw something down on the table, drawing the gaze of Estella and the Quest family.

Jonny couldn't read the headline, written in Czech, except for a few words: Reznicek and Jessica Bannon. The picture beneath showed both of them. Jonny recognized the picture of Jessie from when they'd discovered the truth about Anna Kafka. The original photo showed the two of them together, but he'd been cut out of the picture for this story.

Jonny sensed a presence behind him and glanced over his shoulder. President Stasny stood behind him, staring at the paper with a tight look.

"Race, I am sorry. I don't know how this got out," President Stasny said.

"Don't, Alena. It's fine." Race rubbed his forehead. "It was basically impossible to keep this from getting out. You can't keep everyone from talking and there were plenty of possible leak points."

President Stasny shook her head. "Now that the news is out, I will need to organize a press conference and make an official statement."

As the Madame President left the room, Jonny's laptop _binged._ He jumped, startled by the unexpected noise, and began typing furiously.

"What is it?" Race asked, leaning in behind him.

Jonny's brow furrowed as he studied the information. "IRIS found a series of three articles spanning the last five years that have to do with disappearances surrounding the baron."

"What do you mean 'surrounding the baron'?" Race growled.

"Gimme a sec. IRIS is still translating the articles from Czech," Jonny responded, not taking his eyes from the screen as he lowered himself into his chair.

He felt the tenseness as his dad, Race, Hadji and Estella all stared at him, waiting for the results. Every second that ticked by felt like an hour. An hour that Jessie was still missing.

"Okay," Jonny said once he'd gotten the gist of the three articles from the translations IRIS had provided, "according to what IRIS says are in these articles, thrice the baron has been in close proximity to people who have disappeared."

"He was not taken as well in these situations?" Hadji asked.

Jonny shook his head. "He gave statements at all three: it's sad, hope they're safely returned, yadda yadda yadda. But other than him being in the same locations, there aren't any other connections."

"Who was abducted?" Benton asked.

"Uh…" Jonny scanned the articles. "Looks like they were all military men of some kind. A war hero, a couple of elite soldiers."

"Were they ever found?" Race asked.

Jonny shook his head. "None of the missing men have been recovered."

"Were there any suspects?" Race asked next.

Jonny shrugged helplessly. "A few leads, but nothing ever panned out. They've all become cold cases."

"You can't tell me a man being near three different abductions—four counting last night's—is merely coincidental," Race said. There was a pause as the group digested the information before Race spoke again. "Does Jessie's information include lists of properties the baron owns?"

"It certainly does." Benton typed away on his keyboard. "I'll have IRIS map them out."

The group shifted to lean over Benton's shoulder as a few locations slowly popped up on a map of the Czech Republic.

"There," Race said, pointing to a flagged point southwest of Prague. "That's the direction the gunmen took Jessie and Reznicek when they left Prague. Benton, get me an aerial photo of that property."

Benton answered by leaning over his laptop while his fingers tapped furiously at the keyboard.

Next to Jonny, Hadji stepped away from the group and sat down at Jonny's laptop. Curious, Jonny leaned over his brother as Hadji worked at the computer.

"What'cha doin', bro?" Jonny asked.

"You already have IRIS set up for searches on this laptop. I am simply adding one more," Hadji explained.

"For what?" Jonny inquired.

"For any news stories mentioning the town the baron's estate is near," Hadji replied. "I am having IRIS cross-reference the search with the baron and with disappearances. I am also limiting IRIS' search to Czech Republic newspapers."

The moment Hadji hit the Enter button Jonny expected to see results begin to compile. He shook his head at himself. These things took time.

But like Race, he felt like they were on to something.

"This is the best I could find," Benton said, leaning back.

His comment pulled Jonny and Estella back over to join Benton and Race, leaving Hadji to work on his search.

Benton's screen showed a pixelated shot of the baron's estate in grainy color. The mansion itself was of the chateau style. Behind it stretched acres of forest.

"Why would he take Jessie there?" Jonny asked.

Race shook his head. "I don't know, but that seems to be where they're headed. If he's behind this."

"Race, I think you want to see this," Hadji called from where he worked. He swiveled the laptop to face the group. It had more newspaper articles. "In the last six years, there have been four unexplained disappearances in the town near the baron's estate of interest. All of them were experienced hunters or woodsmen. The most recent one was three months ago. Like the other abductions, none of the men were ever found nor were there any sure suspects."

Race didn't stick around to hear any more. Jonny watched him run out of the conference room, phone to his ear.

* * *

"Alena, I need a favor," Race said into his cell as he headed for his room.

Not wanting to waste the time tracking her down, Race had simply called the Madame President.

"Anything," Alena said from the other end of the line.

"I want you to wait ten minutes and then end the lockdown," Race requested.

"Are you sure that is wise?"Alena asked.

"If we were going to find something, we would have," Race assured. "Besides, I have a hunch, and I need you to raise the lock down in order to sate my curiosity."

"Why do I have a feeling this has to do with the baron's men?"Alena sounded like she was scolding Race with her question.

"Are you going to end the lockdown?" Race asked, ignoring her both her tone and her query.

Alena sighed, but she responded with, "Ten minutes?"

"Ten minutes."

Race shoved his phone back into his pocket and unlocked the door to his suite. It was right next to Benton and the boys'. It took him seconds to find what he needed and head back out into the hall.

Race jogged through the castle corridors. The place was big, but Race knew exactly where he was going. Like many of the places he traveled to with the Quests, he'd taken the time to locate and study the blueprints for Prague castle, and familiarize himself with the layout enough to at least know how to get to exit points or places of interest.

Like the garage.

President Stasny's fleet was housed here, but there was also room for the cars of visiting guests. Including Baron Reznicek.

A few attendants were stationed around the massive space, working on cars or even detailing them. Race approached the staff member closest to him.

"Can you tell me where Baron Reznicek's vehicles are located?" Race asked naturally as could be.

But the attendant knew his job. "Why do you want to know?" The man spoke in thickly accented English.

"I'm here on behalf of the investigation of Baron Reznicek's disappearance," Race responded.

The man looked Race up and down skeptically. "You don't look like a police officer."

"I'm not. I'm the father of the girl that was taken along with the baron. And President Stasny has given me special permission in the investigation," Race explained, doing his best to stay calm.

The man looked him over again, looking no less skeptical.

Race pulled out his phone. "Do you need me to call the Madame President herself to have her confirm?"

The man stood straighter, putting his hands on his hips. " _Ano_ _."_ The attendant was calling Race's bluff.

For the second time in ten minutes, Race dialed Alena's number. She picked up on the second ring.

"What favor can I do for you now, Race?" The Madame President didn't sound annoyed, just tired. But pleasantly so.

"How about explaining to this guy that I'm on official business for you?" Race requested.

Then he handed the phone over to the attendant.

The man looked unsure as he accepted the device and hesitantly put it to his ear. Race crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the man speak with Alena in Czech. By the time the attendant handed the phone back to Race, he looked much subdued.

The man pointed to a group of cars near the large bay doors. "The baron's vehicles are there. All except the one that was involved in the shooting yesterday."

"Thanks," Race said to the man before he jogged over to the group.

There were only a few cars, all bigger vans for transporting men and equipment. Race looked around himself as he moved around the vehicles, ducking down to inspect the undersides of the vehicles only when he was sure no one in his line of sight was looking.

Just as he was heading back to the entrance to the castle, Kladivo and his men appeared. The Czech spotted Race immediately, his eyes narrowing and his mouth curling down into a frown.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Bannon?" Kladivo asked once their paths had crossed.

"Just conducting my investigation," Race said lightly.

He watched Kladivo's gaze move past him to Reznicek's cars, then back again, making the connection in his mind.

"A second time you offend me and my baron by insinuating that he is somehow involved in this incident as anything other than a victim," Kladivo growled at Race.

"I guess you can say I'm thorough," Race responded.

"Out of our way. We have our baron to rescue."

Race stepped aside without any posturing. But as Kladivo passed him he spoke softly. "You remember what I said about putting my daughter in danger."

Kladivo stopped to glare at Race once more, but he said nothing and moved on to the vehicles. Race waited a few moments longer to watch the Czech and his men load their equipment into the vans. The group climbed into the vehicles and pulled out of the garage.

Race turned and headed back for the conference room.


	16. Chapter 16

Title: _Love and War_ , 16/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: November 23, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 16

"Benton, I need you to pull up the tracking program."

Race didn't mean for his request to come out sounding like an order. But Benton, good man that he was, didn't hesitate to do as asked. By the time Race was standing behind his friend and employer, the program was already loaded and three dots were heading through the streets of Prague as represented on the digital map on the screen.

"What are we looking at?" Benton asked.

"I put tracking devices on the baron's vehicles then had Alena end the lockdown," Race explained. "I just want to see where these guys go."

"They're heading southwest," Jonny noted.

"That is the last direction we know Jessie and Baron Reznicek were being taken by their abductors," Hadji reminded.

"Race, if they get too close-" Jonny began.

"I know," Race said calmly but with an underlying anger. "Kladivo and I have had that conversation twice now."

"But…" Benton prompted, knowing his friend well.

"I've got this nagging feeling that even if they find Reznicek and Jessie, her abductors won't kill her." Race watched the moving red dots on the screen for a long while. He felt Benton's and the boys' eyes on him as they waited for him to finish his explanation. Finally he looked at all three, meeting their eyes one at a time. "The further we get in this investigation, the more I'm convinced the baron is the mastermind here and not a victim."

* * *

Jessie stumbled into the room, shoved from behind by one of Reznicek's men. Before she could recover, the door closed and locked behind her.

Jessie tore the baron's tuxedo jacket from her shoulders and threw it away. It landed in a corner in a rumpled pile, wet and stained. Since the moment she'd discovered his deception, wearing it had made her skin crawl. She was glad to finally be rid of it.

Jessie looked around her prison. The room was what one would expect in a historic, chateau-style estate: richly decorated, with a heavy, four poster bed, antiques carefully placed on antique furniture, even tapestries hung on the walls. There was a fireplace with no fire and no means to start one, and a second door.

Jessie tried it and found a bathroom decorated in a mixture of modern and old fashioned. Turning back to the bedroom, she tried the windows. Though it was early morning in the Czech Republic, the world was still dark. The windows didn't open at all, and the glass was old, thick and warped, so she could neither see out nor be seen from the outside.

Next, she explored the wardrobe and drawers, but found them empty. She cast another glance at the entrance to the room, but knew it would be futile to try it. She already knew it was locked and she imagined there was at least one armed guard on the outside. They wouldn't take any chances with her after her little stunt.

A sudden shiver ran through Jessie, a reminder of her near brush with hypothermia. The hour long ride in the warm van had done much to bring her core body temperature up, but the random shivers that tore through her paired with the pain in her feet and hands from their thawing reminded her she wasn't fully in the safe zone yet.

Jessie cast one last glance at the door, then headed back into the bathroom. She first checked that the door could be locked. From the inside. Once she'd confirmed that, she sat on the edge of the claw-footed tub and tested the water, turning on both hot and cold.

Jessie set the water to fill the tub. Though she longed for a steaming hot bath, she knew that could be as dangerous as not enough heat. She settled for a temperature slightly over luke-warm.

As the tub filled, she carefully removed her medal and the locket Jonny had made for her. She paused to press her finger to the underside of the crystal, making the 3D image of she and him smiling appear again. She stared at it for a moment while tremors rolled through her lips, her jaw. Finally, steeling herself one more, she set it with her medal on the counter by the sink.

Jessie slipped out of her ruined shoes. She pulled off her dress and hung it on a hook on the bathroom door next to a fluffy robe. The poor garment was snow and mud stained, the hem a ragged mess. It was too bad. She really had liked that dress.

And so had Jonny.

Jessie shook the thought from her head and finished undressing. She climbed into the tub and adjusted the temperature of the water. Once the tub was filled, Jessie leaned back and relaxed as best she could in the situation she found herself.

The warm water did its job. As she soaked, the shivers came less and less. Periodically Jessie would drain some of the cooling water and replace it with warm. She took the time to clean herself up and made an effort with her tangled hair.

When she'd gone twenty minutes, by her estimation, without any more shivering and her fingers and toes no longer hurt, Jessie drained the tub and climbed out. Thankfully there were towels and Jessie dried herself before regarding her dress. She'd already checked the room and found nothing else to wear. But the dress needed time to fully dry before she could don it again or else she risked sending her body back towards hypothermia.

Jessie grabbed the robe and tied it on before unlocking the bathroom door and padding back out into the bedroom. The windows had lightened. But after sitting in a warm bath, Jessie found herself woozy with exhaustion. She paused once halfway between the bathroom and the bed. There was no activity from outside her door. All she could hear was silence.

Practically falling over from fatigue, Jessie decided to risk getting some sleep. Her mind was far too foggy to come up with any type of escape plan. She padded the rest of the way to the bed, turned down the bed spread and climbed beneath the covers. Her body, so totally exhausted from being awake for so long coupled with everything she'd been through in the last twelve or so hours, didn't wait much past her head hitting the pillow to fall asleep.

She was awakened roughly. Her mind fought to remain unconscious, but the sharp jabbing in her shoulder wouldn't be ignored. Groggy, rubbing at her eyes, Jessie sat up. She blinked as she looked around the strange room, stared at the man with the gun, and tried to remember where she was. And why she was there.

"Get dressed. Baron Reznicek has requested your presence."

The mention of the baron brought it all back to Jessie with crystal clear clarity, leaving only a few wisps of foggy sleep in the corners of her mind.

"How about some privacy?" Jessie grumbled, sliding to her feet.

The man stared at her and didn't budge.

Scowling, Jessie walked around the bed and into the bathroom. Before the man could stop her or even say anything, she slammed the door shut and locked it on him.

She scrambled to redress as the doorknob shook. The dress fought her as she tried to pull it over her head. She managed to get it back on and slip her feet into her shoes just before the door banged open. Jessie reached for her necklace and medal, but the man grabbed her arm in the exact same spot she'd been grabbed by the thug in the ballroom. She yelled from the pain of the pressure on her still fresh bruises as the man dragged her from the bathroom. But despite the sharp pain, Jessie struggled against him, pulling back towards the bathroom. She stared at the necklace still sitting on the bathroom counter, willing herself back to it.

The man dragged her from the room, where they were joined by a second armed guard. This one grabbed her other arm, helping his compatriot to shove her away from the room. Jessie struggled against the men until she lost sight of the door to the room where she'd been held captive and it was apparent she wasn't going to break free.

Tired. She was still so very tired. But she had to pull herself together.

The hallways of the chateau were as richly and tastefully decorated as the room: paintings, vases, antiques, tapestries. Jessie acted as if she were studying it as she walked, to mask that she was actually studying their route, committing it to memory.

The guard who'd awaken her led the way into a cozy room with a roaring fireplace. The dark paneled walls were decorated with guns, hides, mounted animal heads, and antlers. Reznicek sat at a breakfast table laden with food. The baron had already begun his meal.

With a smile, he gestured for Jessie to sit. She glared back at him, but the second guard gave her a shove with his weapon and Jessie sat.

"Please, eat. I imagine you're hungry," Reznicek invited.

Jessie looked down at the food, then back up at her captor without moving.

"I promise it's not poisoned. You can see I've sampled virtually all of the dishes. Besides, I know it's been hours since your last meal. And I promise you, you don't want to miss this opportunity."

There was something in Reznicek's final statement that sparked at Jessie's instinct. She stared at the man for a few moments longer, still rightfully wary of him, but then leaned forward and served herself from the various bowls and platters crammed onto the table.

Jessie had to make herself take bites at first, but after a few forkfuls her ravenous hunger took over and she ate without thinking.

Reznicek watched her, smiling that calm smile of his. "Would you like something warm to drink?" he asked at one point, congenially, as if she'd come at his invitation and not as his prisoner.

But Jessie nodded her head.

"Simicek," Reznicek ordered.

An old man, the only person in this place beside Reznicek and Jessie not armed, stepped forward and filled a cup with a dark, steaming liquid. Simicek didn't look at Jessie as he served her. She felt she was being willfully ignored by the manservant.

Jessie stared at the mug of coffee, her distrust taking over again, until Reznicek signaled for the ancient servant to pour for him as well. Simicek smiled with delight as he served Baron Reznicek. Jessie watched with her eyes as Reznicek accepted the cup and downed the contents.

Once Reznicek replaced the cup on its saucer and smiled at her again, Jessie picked hers up and sipped it. Plain black coffee was not her personal taste, but it felt good to have something warm in her.

"There, now, feeling better?" Reznicek asked.

Jessie shot him a sharp glare. "No."

"Come, Ms. Bannon, I've provided you with food and shelter from the cold," Reznicek objected.

"You kidnapped me," Jessie reminded through gritted teeth. "You manipulated me. I can't even begin to imagine what kind of elaborate plan would necessitate staging your own abduction."

Reznicek smiled as he pushed his plate away from himself. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Jessie. She never took her eyes off him either, not trusting what he might do next. Never trusting him again.

She should have listened to her instincts.

"How to explain," Baron Reznicek mused. "I suppose I shall begin by explaining that my one true passion in life is hunting." He spread his hands out, gesturing at the menagerie around them.

Jessie narrowed her eyes at his statement, not sure what any of it had to do with her.

Reznicek continued as if he were some storyteller and she his captive audience.

 _Is that really too far off?_

"My father took me hunting for the first time at a very young age and from my first kill I knew that nothing else would hold the same thrill for me. I have been hunting everywhere, Ms. Bannon. Africa, Asia, America, Canada, Australia. I have hunted the most dangerous animals in the world: elephants, hippopotamus, cape buffaloes, wild boars, big game cats, crocodiles-"

"And you're bragging about all this because…?" Jessie asked, seething with anger.

"Patience, Ms. Bannon. Your part will come soon enough," the baron assured.

"Just tell me what you want with me already," Jessie demanded, rising.

The armed men around the room stepped toward her, aiming their guns at her. Jessie froze, her eyes moving between them all. In her anger, she'd forgotten about the bodyguards. Taking a deep breath, Jessie lowered herself back into her seat.

Once she was seated, Reznicek resumed his story as if he'd never been interrupted. "It seemed every year I was seeking out more and more challenging hunts. But then there came the day that no hunt was challenging anymore. And yet I yearned for that thrill, that anticipation of stalking your prey, the excitement of outwitting them.

"You see, Ms. Bannon, animals are predictable in their behavior. At first, there was the challenge of learning my prey: studying them, discovering their behavior and the best way to subdue them. But then once I mastered it, the challenge and thus the excitement of it, ended.

"So I needed a new prey. One that would not be so predictable. One that would provide me the challenge I so desired."

Jessie's heart constricted. She leaned as far back in her chair as she could, wanting to distance herself physically from the man before her. She almost rose from her chair to leave the room, but then her eyes flickered to the bodyguards and she remembered to stay put.

"I'm really more a woman of science. If you want me to compete against you in a science fair, I'd be more than happy to fill that role for you."

Reznicek shook his head, wearing an amused smile. "How boring."

Jessie squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to breathe. "How many?" she asked quietly.

"You are my ninth," the baron purred.

Jessie pressed her hand over her mouth as she digested that piece of information. How had this man not yet gotten caught?

 _He will this time._

Jessie dropped her hand into her lap, steeled by the reassuring thought that her dad and the Quests were surely looking for her.

"Why me?" she asked, proud of the strength she was able to add to her voice that she didn't actually feel.

"To be honest, Ms. Bannon, I was originally interested in your father."

Jessie remembered the way Reznicek had seemed to size up her dad on their first meeting. "But you changed your mind."

"The shooter on the street was meant for your father."

Jessie shook her head, not understanding what Reznicek meant.

"Not to kill him of course," Reznicek said with a soft laugh as if he'd just told a charming joke. "It was meant to test his skill. I've heard of your father, of course. The great Race Bannon has quite the reputation to precede him. What a great player he would make in my game. But when he didn't show up at the café, it was too late to stop the attack. And yet how pleasantly surprised was I to find how capable his daughter is."

Jonny's voice echoed in her mind. _I didn't like the way the baron was watching you._

Jessie shook her head in disbelief, staring at the man seated across from her. "You sent the shooter. You endangered the lives of people for your own sick pleasures."

"I'll remind you, Ms. Bannon, that only my own men were killed or even hurt. I trusted what I'd heard of your father's skills to keep others from being hurt. And when he wasn't there, you stepped in to fill his absence. And you did it beautifully."

"You should have gone after my dad," Jessie spat at her abductor.

"Perhaps I still will," Reznicek intoned. "If your faith in him is any indicator, there's a strong chance he'll show up here looking for you."

"You think you want that," Jessie responded. "But trust me. He won't lose to you."

Reznicek rose, ignoring her remark. "Come, Ms. Bannon. It's time we begin."

Author's Note: And the truth is finally revealed. What do you think? It's my birthday today, so leave me a review as a present!


	17. Chapter 17

Title: _Love and War_ , 17/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: November 26, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 17

Jessie shivered as she glared white hot hatred at Baron Reznicek. She'd not noticed before—and she scolded herself for not noticing—that he'd been dressed in black cargo pants, combat-style boots and a black sweater. She still wore only her dress and flats. And despite her shivering, she refused to acknowledge the cold. She kept her arms hanging loosely at her sides. But she couldn't seem to unclench her hands from the fists they were balled into.

Reznicek had brought her outside to an expansive stone patio. Some tables and chairs were covered for the winter and pushed off to the side. The grey sky and wan sunlight reflected in the warped windows of the chateau. Half a dozen armed men stood between the mansion and Jessie.

"The game is simple," Reznicek explained as he prepared himself from a table covered in weapons and gear.

He donned a slim vest covered in pockets, a black skull cap to match the rest of his outfit.

"I will give you a fifteen-minute head start."

Jessie glanced over her shoulder. Behind her, down a short flight of broad steps, was an expanse of yard hidden by thick snow that ended in a natural forest, the trees skeletal without their leaves.

"The forest is five acres, roughly. It is bordered by an eight-foot high electric fence. My men will be standing guard here at the house. If you try to leave the forest on this border, they have orders to shoot you."

"So there's no escaping this game of yours," Jessie summarized. "It goes until you kill me."

Reznicek looked up and caught her eye. "Or you kill me." But he said this as if another of his charming jokes.

"What happens if I do kill you? How do I prove to them that I won?"

"I suppose you could bring them my head," he suggested. "But my men are loyal. If they believe you've killed me, they'll avenge my death."

Jessie barked a humorless laugh. "So there's no way I come out of this alive."

Reznicek shrugged as he picked up a handgun and pulled back the clip to check for a round, ejected the magazine to ensure it was full. "I suppose this is a lose-lose situation for you." He shoved the magazine back into the gun and then the gun into a thigh holster and looked at her again. "But maybe you can science your way out of this."

Jessie's fists tightened to the point of aching. Only the bodyguards kept her planted where she stood.

She'd get her chance. In the forest. During his game.

"Once your fifteen minutes are up, I'll follow. That's when the game truly begins."

"You said you started hunting other humans for the challenge. How much of a challenge can it be when you get all the fancy equipment and I'll probably die of hypothermia before you get to kill me?"

The baron filled the pockets of his vest and pants with ammunition. More than he'd ever need to kill her. "It's surprising the lengths a rational human being will go to for survival, Ms. Bannon. Simply observing my preys' reactions have been amusing in and of itself."

"You want a real challenge? I can give you a real challenge. Just give me the same gear you provide yourself. I'll make sure you have the most thrilling hunt of your life."

Reznicek chuckled and glanced at her. "I'm not stupid, Ms. Bannon. I've seen what you're capable of. In neither of the situations I put you in did you start with the tools you needed."

"So imagine what I can do when I'm properly prepared," Jessie challenged.

Reznicek looked down at his table of equipment. He took a few moments to consider it. Then he plucked an item from it.

Reznicek walked to Jessie and offered her the hunting knife.

 _Jessie stood in the compound gym with her dad, early morning sunlight pouring through the wall of windows facing the ocean. She wore loose clothing for training and in her hand she held a hard rubber KA-BAR knife._

" _Your goal in a knife fight is to attack your opponent's soft, vital target areas that are readily accessible," Race explained. He indicated different points on a practice dummy. "Go for the face, the sides and front of the neck, the lower abdomen or the groin."_

 _Race grabbed Jessie's hand holding the knife. "What grip is this?"_

" _Hammer grip," Jessie recited._

" _Good. Make sure the sharp side of the blade is always facing your opponent. No big swings. They're too easy to block. Keep everything tight and close. Point the tip of the knife toward your opponent as you attack." Race pulled Jessie's hand forward so the rubber tip of her knife touched his chest. "And put your entire body weight into each attack."_

 _Race moved Jessie's hand and her practice knife high, then brought it down against his forearm. "When you slash, if you make contact, keep it. Don't pull away. You want to inflict maximum damage. So maintain contact and pressure. Ready to practice?"_

 _Jessie nodded._

Jessie stared at the proffered knife for a moment before she accepted it. She held it like Reznicek might attack her at any moment. She considered stabbing the baron with it right now. Just slam it into the side of his neck.

But there were still those damn, devoted bodyguards to consider who'd shoot her dead the instant she attacked.

"One thing to note, Ms. Bannon," Reznicek said softly.

Jessie looked up at the man. His tone of voice reminded her of her dad, and how he'd sometimes sound when dealing with people treading on dangerous grounds. That tone sent a cold shiver through her body that made the winter day seem spring-like.

Standing six inches from her, staring right into her eyes, Reznicek explained, "You are the first woman I've ever found worthy of participating in my game. Unlike my other prey, when I find you, I won't kill you straight away. I plan on enjoying this hunt to the fullest."

Jessie took a step back, almost falling down the stairs. Reznicek watched her for a moment longer. Then he turned and walked back to his table. After perusing his gear for a moment, he looked up at Jessie, almost surprised to see her still standing there.

"If I were you, I'd get a move on. My guards will shoot you in sixty seconds if you haven't disappeared into the trees."

Jessie turned and fled across the crunchy snow, ignoring the way it burned her feet. She looked over her shoulder once, without pausing, as she entered the trees. The bodyguards hadn't moved. And Baron Reznicek was checking the sighting on a bolt action hunting rifle.

* * *

"How long since they left?" Race asked.

"About an hour and a half," Benton replied.

"And they haven't stopped once?"

"The tracking devices you hid on their vehicles don't show any sign they've slowed or stopped," Benton assured.

"What are you thinking?" Jonny asked.

Race looked at the boy. No, Jonny wasn't a boy anymore. Neither was Hadji. They were almost grown men. And Jessie. She was graduating high school this year. Heading off to college next fall.

The look in Jonny's eyes said he knew Race was holding something back.

"That if they were truly investigating, they wouldn't be in such a hurry," Race finally answered Jonny's question. "They seem to know exactly where they're going."

Race expected Hadji or Benton to explain away the baron's men's behavior. Kladivo and his team hadn't yet found anything worth investigating. Benton and Hadji wouldn't say it out of need to defend the men, only to see a situation from all angles. It was a trait Race valued in father and son.

But they both stayed quiet. And Race knew that meant they had quietly accepted his theory.

"So, what now?" Jonny asked.

Race looked up at movement in the doorway to the conference room. President Stasny had entered. Gone were her ball gown and jewels, replaced by one of her smart skirt suits. The tiredness in her eyes and on her face was still there, but so were the determination, and the kind smile.

Ignoring everyone else in the room, President Stasny made a beeline straight for Race and the Quests.

"How did the press conference go?" Benton asked her when she had joined them.

"As well as could be expected. The press already had the rumors. I did my best to give them correct information," President Stasny answered. She turned to Race. "What have you found out?"

"You've done enough, Alena. You should get some rest," Race urged.

"Please, Race, do not patronize me."

"You aren't going to like it," Race promised her.

President Stasny sighed and shook her head. "I don't like any of this. Tell me anyway."

With the Quests' help, Race summarized their search of Baron Reznicek and the actions of his security team. President Stasny's face remained neutral throughout the entire story.

"That is a very thin thread to pull on," she said when Race was done.

Race shrugged. "It's the best lead we have."

The Madame President considered Race for a moment longer. "And what is your plan now?"

Race kept his answer simple. "Go check out the baron's estate."

President Stasny pursed her lips, but before she could reply Hadji cut in. "I have discovered one more disappearance connected to the baron."

"What is it?"

"Seven years ago, Baron Reznicek's father, the previous Baron Reznicek, disappeared. He was never found," Hadji explained.

"It was a tragic event. Jarek was devastated," President Stasny added.

"There have already been too many disappearances connected to this guy. This is more than just coincidence. And no, Alena, don't try to convince me otherwise," Race objected when President Stasny opened her mouth to speak up.

President Stasny considered Race for a moment, weighing, Race thought, the information they'd provided her, how much she trusted Race and the Quests, what it would mean if Race's hunch was wrong.

It wasn't wrong. This was the answer. Race knew it. He didn't have all the pieces to get a clear picture. But he knew, with a cold lump of ice in his gut, that Reznicek had taken his daughter.

"You're going to the estate to check it out," Stasny stated. She stared right into Race's eyes without flinching. There weren't a whole lot of people who could do that. Jessie. Estella. Benton.

Race gave a curt nod. "I am."

"How big of a team do you think you'll need?" the Madame President asked.

Race started with surprise. "You're willing to lend me men?"

"The very best I can offer."

"If I'm wrong about this…"

"You didn't seem at all uncertain a moment ago."

" _I_ can handle the consequences if I'm wrong. But if you're involved…"

"After all we've been through together, all of us, I trust your judgment, Race. Especially when it comes to your daughter. Now how many men will you need?"

"Four. I want a small team. This has to be done quietly. I'm going to take the threat against Jessie's life seriously," Race answered.

"They'll be ready," President Stasny promised.


	18. Chapter 18

Title: _Love and War_ , 18/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: November 30, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: Thanks for those who have left guests reviews, favorited or followed this fic! I hope you are all enjoying it! That's all I have to say! Here's the new chapter! So sorry for posting at the end of the day instead of the beginning. I didn't open my laptop this morning before leaving for work like I usually do so I had to wait until I got home!

Chapter 18

Jessie's lungs burned with the cold air as she ran through the trees and the snow. She gripped the knife Reznicek had given her like she was about to use it. She tried to count in her head the passing time, but she was too frantic putting distance between herself and the baron, worried about the threat of hypothermia—again—planning in her mind what she could do to survive, avoid Reznicek, turn his game back on himself.

Jessie glanced at the sky through the skeletal branches of the trees. Her junior year for extra credit she'd taught herself how to tell time by the position of the sun. But she'd never gotten very good at it and she'd not really used it once she'd finished the experiment. The most she could tell was that it was late morning, almost noon.

It certainly wouldn't tell her when her fifteen minutes were up.

Jessie vaulted a fallen tree and veered to the left. She'd been worried about distance upon her entrance to the forest, but a straight line was dangerous. Then there was the issue of the footprints she was leaving in the snow. The baron would easily follow her just by those. She'd have to make sure to move randomly, backtracking and crossing her own trail. Anything to keep Reznicek guessing.

Her best option would be a surprise attack. Take out Reznicek before he could take her out. But to do that she'd have to get ahead of the baron, leave a confusing trail for him, find a hiding place.

And strike quickly. And fatally. Do whatever she needed to kill Reznicek before he killed her.

" _Fighting with honor is for boxing rings and wrestling mats," Race instructed. "In real life, you fight to win. And you fight dirty. Whatever you need to do to survive. Use every low-down trick in the book. And I'm gonna teach you every one I know."_

Jessie forced her resistant legs to move faster. The cold was moving in quick. Her body—only recently recovered from her last brush with hypothermia—was already succumbing. She couldn't let that happen.

Kill Reznicek quickly. Then find a way out of here.

 _Science my way out of here_ , she thought with grim determination.

And find a way to contact her dad.

But first: survival.

Jessie rounded a stand of close-growing trees and stopped dead. Ahead of her, leaning against a tree, lay a man rimed with frost. The bullet hole between his eyes dripped with frozen blood.

Jessie stood where she was, staring at the man. Reznicek's last victim, perhaps? How long had he been laying out here dead in the forest? Jessie had very little experience with the forensic sciences. Dr. Quest would definitely have been able to estimate the length of time the poor man had been dead. Maybe even Hadji.

It didn't matter. There were more important things. Jessie forced herself to approach the body. The dead body itself didn't faze her. This certainly wasn't the first one she'd ever encountered. But she felt bad about what she was about to do, like she was somehow desecrating the poor man.

She remembered Khumbu: jumping out the window of the monastery into the winter night high in the Himalayas with Hadji and Jonny. They'd had no choice, but they'd been better dressed, better equipped, and still in danger. If they hadn't come across Dr. Quest's team—his dead team—and their supplies, they surely would've died that night.

Jessie dropped to her knees next to the man. He must have been abducted during the warmer fall or early winter. The jacket was thin, but it had an inner shell to keep out the wind. And it was definitely better than the nothing Jessie currently had. She fumbled with the buttons of the flannel jacket with her frozen fingers. It took her longer than she wanted, as she counted the seconds and minutes in her head, to unfasten the garment. Frantic about the time, frantic about the cold, she pushed the jacket off the man's shoulders.

But getting the flannel off the man would be difficult. He was stiff with cold. Jessie took a deep breath and leaned her palms and forehead against the same tree trunk the man rested against. The rough bark pressed painfully into her skin.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, prayer-like, tears stinging her eyes. "Please forgive me for this. Please understand I'm just trying to survive."

Jessie gave herself the seconds to take a few more deep breaths before she turned back to the man. She rubbed her hands together to try to get the blood flowing, warm them up, loosen them up. Then she grabbed an arm and the jacket and pulled.

She almost broke down crying at the cracking sounds forcing his arm made. She bit her bottom lip and kept pulling until the jacket was half off the man. She uttered another "Please forgive me" before she started on the other side.

Jessie hesitated only a moment once the flannel was free before donning it. She was just as clumsy buttoning the jacket as she had been unbuttoning it. The coat was too big. And it was cold. The man had long lost all body heat. But it was lined and that would help stop the cold wind. And she'd not been exposed for so long that she'd lost the ability to produce her own body heat.

With the jacket now in place, Jessie turned to the man's feet. His sturdy hiking boots were much better protection from the cold and snow than her flimsy flats. The laces were just as uncooperative as the buttons of the jacket, but the shoes were easier to remove, though the ankles and feet still cracked. The man was wearing double pairs of wool socks. Jessie pulled those off too, putting them on her feet right over her flats in reverse order and trying not to think about it. The man's feet were obviously much larger than Jessie's. She'd need all the padding she could get to ensure the best fit from the hiking boots and the extra insulation from the cold.

Jessie hiked the socks up as high as they'd go, then finally pushed her feet into the boots and tied them tightly. Lastly, she grabbed both sides of the slit in her skirt. She bunched some fabric in the middle and knotted the two sides together. Then she knotted the bottom corners together. It wouldn't make that big of a difference, but it was better than letting the skirt blow every which way in the wind.

As she stood, Jessie noticed a piece of black something in the snow-dusted leaves next to the man. She paused to pick it up. Now she was holding two hunting knives, one shiny and new, the other rust-pocked and dirty.

So much for Baron Reznicek's generosity.

Jessie threw down the old knife and tightened her grip on the good one. She looked around herself. She'd made quite a mess of the snow around the dead body, but she could still see her trail leading up to the man.

It couldn't be helped. Trying to wipe out the footprints would be just as telling as leaving them. And though there was a wind blowing, it was only a breeze and would do nothing to cover up the tracks in time.

Jessie picked a random direction and trudged off. After a few moments she picked up to a light jog. Already she could tell the difference the jacket and shoes made, insulating the heat she produced. She was actually glad to feel the ache that meant her feet were regaining feeling.

Jessie checked over her shoulder, but only the trees stood there with their layers of ice and snow. She shivered involuntarily as she faced forward again.

 _Stop it. You can't do this to yourself. Paranoia isn't going to help you. Keep it together, Bannon._

Jessie narrowed her focus to the forest in front of her, keeping her pace up, switching the knife between hands so she could bunch the free one in the extra length of sleeve to keep warm. She left no room in her mind for anything except moving forward and making her plan.

First she made sure to double back and cross her own path. It meant risking running into the baron before she was ready. She just had to hope she'd see him before he saw her. He was armed with guns that would allow him to shoot her before she even saw him while she would have to get close to injure him with her knife. But Jessie calculated the risk against the time it afforded her.

Second was finding the right spot for an ambush. Winter made it hard. Every bush and tree was too scraggly to hide in without their leaves. The color of her red hair and purple dress against the black and whites of trees and snow made her stick out too easily.

But finally she found a place she thought she could make work. She kept moving as she checked it out, weaving out and back again, filling the snow with her footprints, crossing the trail over and over and over itself. Finally she stopped in the middle of the little glade and turned around. The open area was surrounded by deciduous and coniferous trees. The evergreens were old and thick enough with needles that Jessie thought she could effectively hide behind one.

But the place needed a little more preparation. Jessie made sure to disturb the snow on the lower branches of every single tree surrounding the glade. She also stepped up to a few of the trees, leaving fresh, obvious footprints in front of each of them. She was careful to step back again, re-treading in the footprints until she was back in the mess of prints she'd left all over the clearing.

Now all she had to do was position herself and wait. The positioning herself part was easy. Several of the evergreens had thick enough trunks and needle coverage to hide her from anyone entering the opening in the trees. She'd specifically not left footprints in front of those trees to leave herself plenty of options. Jessie simply had to choose a spot.

The waiting part was harder. Jessie didn't know how far behind her Reznicek was and so couldn't predict how long she'd have to wait for him. Not moving in this weather with the thin layers she was wearing could be fatal. Not just in contracting hypothermia faster, but the cold could slow down her reaction time in a fight. She hoped to face the baron in close proximity so he couldn't use his guns, but he was surely going to have a knife of his own. And warmer clothes. And he'd be on the move, keeping himself warm and more limber.

It couldn't be helped.

Jessie followed a trail she'd made past one of the big evergreens. When she thought—she hoped—she was out of sight of the clearing, she took a big step out and under the tree. She had to stoop low beneath the prickly needles. This time she did take the time to cover her tracks. Anything to give her extra time to surprise the baron.

Jessie sat with her back against the trunk of the tree and her knees pulled to her chest. The jacket she'd taken was big enough for her to pull over her legs. There was less snow next to the trunk, but she could still feel the cold ground through the thin material of her skirt.

Jessie wiggled her toes, flexed her fingers and hunkered down into the collar of her coat like a turtle in a shell. She had to stay warm. Just long enough for Reznicek to come along.

Just long enough to kill him.

After that…

No, she couldn't think about that. She had to focus only on killing or disabling the baron. Then she would plan what came next.

At the sound of crunching snow, Jessie sat up a little straighter, hitting her head on a branch. She managed to muffle her cry of pain. She rubbed her head as she looked toward where she thought the sound had come. She held her breath for what seemed like forever, but had to have been only a minute or so.

Baron Reznicek walked into the clearing, his clothes as black as the skeletal trees. He wasn't even trying to be sneaky. He held the strap of his rifle carelessly as he looked around at the mess of tracks Jessie had left for him.

Slowly, silently, Jessie moved to a crouch beneath the evergreen. She didn't once take her eyes off Reznicek. The baron moved more slowly through the glade, looking around at Jessie's handiwork. She saw him smile, appreciating her work.

"Well, well, Ms. Bannon. I chose right after all."

Jessie froze, at first thinking he was talking to her, thinking he'd already spotted her. When he continued to stroll past her hiding place, looking around at her tracks, she realized he'd merely been speaking aloud to himself.

Jessie crawled out from beneath the tree on the opposite side from Reznicek. Through the needles she kept her eye on his dark form as she slowly stood. Softly she stepped around the tree, coming up behind him. Moving as quietly as she could, just as her dad had taught her. She'd been not as good as Hadji, who moved like a ghost when he wanted to (and thankfully he very rarely wanted to), but she'd performed better than Jonny.

 _Be Hadji. Be a ghost. Don't let him know you're here._

Jessie raised her knife as she stalked toward Reznicek. She couldn't breathe, afraid she'd somehow make a sound. He was still looking down at the ground, at the chaos of her footprints all over the clearing, moving in and out of it.

Just as she brought the knife down, Reznicek caught a glimpse of her over his shoulder.


	19. Chapter 19

Title: _Love and War_ , 19/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: December 3, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 19

Jonny stood in the palace garage behind one of the Madame President's town cars watching Race preparing to leave along with the four men President Stasny had provided. The four very best men Prague had to offer straight from the 601st Special Forces Group, one of the Czech Republic's two elite military forces.

Jonny wasn't hiding exactly, though he did hunch down below the roof of the car. He just didn't want Race to see him. At least not yet. Jonny knew he'd have a small window of opportunity. He had to make sure he didn't act too soon or too late.

Race and his four Czech companions didn't talk much as they loaded up the van they'd be taking to Reznicek's estate. All five men were dressed in black clothing designed for winter combat: thicker to keep the wearer warm, but not too thick to hinder combat. They also wore two or three holsters carrying their weapons, both handguns and rifles, plus pockets for other gear like combat knives, extra ammo, binoculars, night vision goggles, and zip ties.

Jonny, too, had dressed in black, though he'd had only his own clothes to choose from. He'd done his best to put together clothing that would mimic the combat gear: thick but not bulky. He thought he'd done an okay job. Black cargo pants with a long sleeved turtleneck and a light jacket over that. Black boots and even a black skull cap like the five men all wore. He didn't have all the extra gear Race and the Czech soldiers had, but he didn't think he'd need it.

Finally the group began slamming doors shut, climbing into the van. Jonny dashed forward, suddenly afraid of missing Race and being left behind to watch the van drive off to rescue Jessie. Without him.

Jonny wasn't going to get left behind.

"Race!"

The older man froze and looked toward Jonny walking purposefully toward him. Jonny recognized the sizing up look Race gave him, taking in his black clothing. Next came the narrowing of his eyes and the setting of his jaw. Race came around the back of the van to intercept Jonny, planting himself with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Jonny, go back-"

"No, I'm coming, too."

"No way in hell."

Race was using every ounce of his intimidation on Jonny: hard, steely gaze, standing at his full height, flexing his crossed arms, his mouth a thin line. Sweat pricked out on the back of Jonny's neck. His mouth went dry. But he wasn't going to back down.

"I can't stay here and wait, Race."

Race shook his head, not budging. "And what am I supposed to tell your father? How do I explain that I brought you into a dangerous situation, regardless of the outcome?"

"How about reminding him that Jessie was stuck in the middle of that dangerous situation?" Jonny challenged.

"I won't be able to live with my own conscious if I agree to this. I can't put you at risk."

"You're not putting me at risk. I'm putting myself at risk. For Jessie's sake. This is my decision."

"No it's not. It's mine. And I decide n-"

"Just try and leave me behind. I'll follow you."

Race sighed and squeezed his eyes shut. "Jonny-"

"You _know_ I will!"

Race glanced over his shoulder at the black van. The side door hung half open, the men inside watching the exchange between the two. Race shook his head.

"I've scouted at least three different vehicles I could easily hot wire and follow you with," Jonny pressed.

"Not if I hogtie you," Race retorted.

By the look of him, Jonny completely believed Race would do it.

He had to convince Race, think fast, but that was one of Jonny's strong suits. "You can waste time trying to restrain me—and I promise I'll fight you—or we can get in that van and go rescue Jessie."

Race's arms came uncrossed, the first sign for Jonny that the man was starting to cave. The second sign was Race rubbing at his face with his hands.

"And what am I supposed to tell your father when this is all over?" Race dropped his hands and pinned Jonny with a gaze full not of intimidation, but concern and betrayal.

Jonny answered softly but firmly. "You don't tell him anything. I'll deal with him. I promise."

"You do everything I say. You follow every command I give. You don't do anything rash or stupid."

"I promise. I want Jessie back as much as you do." He felt light-headed at that statement, but he made himself stand strong while Race was still scrutinizing him.

Race shook his head. "Don't you dare make me regret this," he muttered.

Jonny wanted to celebrate, but he knew better. He kept his determined body language and expression, lest Race change his mind again.

"Get in the van."

As promised, Jonny didn't hesitate to follow the order.

* * *

Reznicek's quick reflexes shouldn't have been a surprise to Jessie. The moment he spotted her, he turned, bringing his arm up to block her attack. Her forearm crashed into his. Reznicek used the momentum of his block to push Jessie away.

She crashed into the evergreen she'd hid behind. The branches kept her from hitting the ground. But she had to scramble to push herself back out of them before Reznicek countered.

He went for his side holster. But he fumbled with the strap. Jessie came flying out of the evergreen boughs. Her only focus was getting behind the point of his gun.

Reznicek swung the gun to bear on her. Jessie ducked, soaring past the end of the barrel. She came up again, slashing with the knife. Reznicek's attention turned to not getting his belly sliced open.

As he twisted away, Jessie used the opening he provided to grab the gun in his hand and twist. The baron cried out at the unnatural angle his arm was suddenly in. His grip loosened on the weapon and Jessie took it from him.

In a matter of seconds she flipped it around to the correct grip and aimed it at Reznicek. He rolled to the side as she fired her first round. She rotated to follow him, but he scrambled behind a tree to avoid her second shot.

Jessie had a split second to decide whether to pursue the baron or retreat. Knowing she'd taken only one of his multiple guns, she chose to retreat, backing quickly behind a thick tree opposite the baron. And just in time. A bullet ricocheted off the trunk, chunks of bark and wood exploding from the impact.

 _Stay and engage in a firefight? Or run away and regroup?_

The firefight was risky. They were both excellent shots. There was no guarantee she'd hit the baron before he hit her.

Jessie dashed forward toward the closest tree that was thick enough to hide her. No shots rang out. She counted to ten, then dashed to another tree, moving in a different direction.

The _crack_ of another shot, but she didn't think it was anywhere near her.

"Well done, Ms. Bannon!"

Jessie didn't respond to the baron. She wasn't stupid enough to give away her location.

He didn't sound like he'd moved from his original hiding spot. Jessie moved again, ducking behind two more trees in quick succession. And she made sure to move in a random pattern.

The baron took aim at her only once more.

Jessie decided to take a chance and ran for it, zigzagging through the trees. She made her path as far from straight as possible. Out of instinct she ducked her head whenever another shot _cracked_ in the thin winter air, but she wasn't sure they came anywhere near her.

Jessie chanced a quick look over her shoulder, but the baron was still in hiding. She didn't slow. There was no way of knowing how closely he was keeping up with her.

But the shots kept coming, so he must be on the move.

He was following her tracks, of course. Easy to do in this snow. And since she was leaving a singular trail for him to follow. No doubling back and crisscrossing to confuse him. No time and too risky.

Jessie checked over her shoulder once more and thought she saw some movement behind her among the trees. But all she got was a quick glance.

She pitched forward as the ground dropped out from under her. Snow and sky and trees spiraled as she tumbled down a steep incline, crashing through the branches of undergrowth, which scraped at her face and pulled at her hair. Her momentum kept her rolling uncontrollably until she slammed into a tree.

The sickening crack and sudden, overwhelming pain in her arm forced a scream from her throat. But Jessie only allowed herself the one.

Reznicek was coming. If he found her…

Holding her left arm against her body and pushing through the pain, Jessie managed to sit up and scoot around to the other side of the evergreen that had stopped her. Once she was hidden, she looked back around the trunk. She spotted the knife and gun she'd dropped during her tumble down the incline, black spots in the white snow. Clues to help the baron find her.

Should she get them? Did she have time? Would the baron spot them through the trees and vegetation?

After a count of sixty—breathing hard and with tears rolling down her cheeks—when there was no sign of the baron, Jessie forced herself to move. She kept a tight grip on her broken arm as she moved on her knees to the left, away from her weapons and where she'd fallen. Her breath puffed out with every jolt to her arm, a white cloud in the frosty air. Jessie hoped the grunts of pain she couldn't stop weren't loud enough for Reznicek to hear.

She'd just have to pray the tracks she left behind were hidden by the evergreens and leafless bushes that populated the ravine she'd fallen into.

By the time she heard his approach, Jessie was several yards away from where she'd originally landed. She'd managed to get herself underneath another evergreen, despite the pain in her left arm, and she was situated in a way that she had a pretty good view of the top of the ridge.

The baron emerged slowly from the trees, stopping at the edge of the ravine. He held his rifle in his hands. Jessie bit her mouth closed as she watched him. If he decided to follow her down, she was defenseless and wounded. She'd be an easy target.

Jessie prayed like her _abeulita_ had taught her to do when Jessie was just a little girl, visiting her grandmother.

Reznicek stared down into the ravine for what felt like hours while Jessie held her breath and stifled her gasps of pain. When he looked up, he gazed off to the left, toward Jessie, then right. Even from a distance, Jessie could see the indecision in his body language. He could follow the trail down into the ravine, or he could take a guess and hope he was right.

The baron was confident in his skills. Maybe overly confident. He turned to the right and headed along the ravine away from Jessie.


	20. Chapter 20

Title: _Love and War_ , 20/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: December 7, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 20

Jonny sat on the middle bench of the van, staring straight out the front window. The sun had fully risen into a sky half covered by gray clouds. On the opposite side of the road, cars zoomed by so quickly Jonny barely caught what color they were. The speedometer read twenty miles over the speed limit. The van swerved smoothly around the traffic on their side of the road.

They'd passed one or two police cars, but none had acknowledged them. Probably they'd been alerted about the van heading for a rescue.

The four Special Forces men had given Jonny a cursory glance when he'd climbed into the van. Otherwise they'd ignored him. They spoke to each other sometimes, quietly and in Czech so Jonny couldn't understand them. They could have been talking about him, or about the upcoming mission, or about vacation time. He didn't really care. And he quickly learned to zone it out.

Race sat in the front passenger seat. Every once in a while he'd check his phone. For the tracker Race had planted on the baron's vehicles, Jonny knew. He wanted to ask about it, but it was easy to see how tense Race was. And Jonny knew he was at least partially the reason for it. For now it was better not to say anything at all.

His own hands were fidgety and he was doing his best to keep them still in his lap or on the seat. He'd left his own phone back in his family's suite at Prague Castle. Then he wouldn't have to feel guilty about ignoring his dad and brother's calls. It wouldn't take them long to figure out where he was. After they tracked his phone back to their own rooms and had President Stasny search the castle for him, they'd put two and two together easily.

Jonny was banking on the search taking long enough that his dad wouldn't risk contacting Race. He'd just have to deal with his dad's anger when they got back safely. With Jessie.

The thought of her was plenty to remind Jonny that enduring his dad's wrath and any punishment he'd receive was more than worth it.

 _We're coming, Jess. Just hang on._

They'd been on the road already for a couple of hours. And at the speed they were going, they were making good time.

Race checked his phone again, and Jonny resisted the urge to ask about their progress. Or the status of the baron's men.

If they'd headed to the chateau, they were already there. And they'd had at least an hour head start.

The van slowed and took a side road. The snow on the asphalt was thicker, and there were even fewer cars traveling along the street. Trees black with ice and covered in snow instead of leaves lined either side. The driver increased the van's speed to what it'd been on the highway. The feeling of being pressed back into the seat was actually comforting to Jonny. It meant they were getting closer to Jessie that much faster.

In another half an hour the van slowed again and took a single lane road. After a few yards Jonny realized it was more like a driveway. He sat up and leaned forward.

He could no longer keep from addressing Race.

"We're getting close, aren't we?"

Race looked over his shoulder at Jonny with a flat look, then back at his phone.

"A couple more miles down this road," Race answered.

"And the baron's men?"

"They've been here for a couple of hours."

Jonny's heart constricted and he pressed his eyes closed as he reminded himself to breathe.

"You alright, kiddo?"

"I'm fine," Jonny said, opening his eyes again. No way was he giving Race any reason to leave him behind.

About a quarter mile from the estate, Race instructed the driver to pull off the road. They would approach the house by foot so the sound of the vehicle wouldn't alert the baron and his men. The man in the driver's seat pulled off deep into the trees, hiding the van as best he could.

Once the vehicle came to a stop, Jonny climbed out alongside Race and the four men. They convened at the back of the van. The doors were opened and Race and the men took ten minutes to gear up: radios, some explosives, plenty of ammo. No one looked at Jonny, not even Race.

Finally, Race pulled up schematics of the mansion and the surrounding estate and held it out for his team to see. Jonny knew all five of these men had already studied the blueprints to the chateau. Jonny tried to get in close, too, but the screen was small and there was no room for him. With a deep frown, he stepped back, leaning against the van with his arms folded over his chest. He closed his eyes and listened intently to the instructions Race gave to the Special Forces men.

"We stick together and approach the house under cover of the trees. We'll need to see what we're up against first, what guards have been posted. We don't know how many men the baron has total, so keep alert until we know the house is clear. Our main priority is finding my daughter and removing her to safety. If we find the baron is also in danger, we will act accordingly."

Jonny opened his eyes and looked up. But Race was looking at the men, and not him.

"As far as we know the baron is as much a victim as my daughter. So no killing unless absolutely necessary. Subdue and restrain. We're going in to find what we can to help rescue them both. We need to mitigate any backlash that might fall on Madame President Stasny."

Race turned his steely gaze fully on Jonny. Jonny refused to wilt under it.

"This is a stealth mission. Remember that we're outnumbered and if we lose the element of surprise, then we lose the only advantage we have."

Jonny nodded. He understood. He understood exactly what was at risk. _Who_ was at risk.

Jessie was in there. Despite what Race had said, Jonny could sense it. They were so close. And they were going to get her back safe and sound. She was gonna be back in his arms again real soon. And then he was gonna make sure she never left them. Ever.

"Final check," Race said, tucking his phone away.

Jonny watched the group of five men double check the ammo in their guns, their radio channels, synchronize their watches. Still nobody approached him or said anything to him.

"Alright," Race said with a nod once he'd received confirmation from the team.

They moved around the van and toward the house. Jonny pushed off from the vehicle as Race approached him.

"You do everything I say," Race reiterated.

Jonny was relieved Race wasn't going to try to make him stay behind. "I already said I would." Then he asked, "Don't I at least get a radio?"

"You don't need one."

"What if we get separated?"

"It's your job to make sure we don't," Race said.

Jonny scowled.

"Your other option is to stay here and wait for us to return."

There it was. He'd spoken too soon.

"Leave me behind and see what happens," Jonny warned.

"Cut the attitude, Jonny," Race said and held out his hand.

Jonny extended his own hand to receive whatever Race had for him. With a soft jingle, the van keys landed in Jonny's upturned palm. Race reached into his vest and added his phone.

"When we find Jessie, I'm sending her back here with you while the rest of us finish cleaning up. You'll wait here for us to return. If anyone approaches that isn't one of us, you get out of here pronto."

"Leave you behind?" Jonny asked.

"Your and Jessie's safety is the utmost priority. The team and I can find our own way home," Race assured.

"And the phone?" Jonny asked.

"For calling the police, if you have to leave us behind. I disabled the screen lock and had one of the men program the number for the Czech police into the speed dial. Don't send them out here. We have ways of calling in reinforcements once we've cleaned up or if we need back up. Just identify yourselves and let them know you're on your way back to Prague. And get ahold of your father. He'll want an update. And to know you're okay."

With a nod, Jonny put the phone in one jacket pocket, the van keys in the other.

"Stay behind me and keep your eyes open for trouble," was Race's last directive before he headed after the team.

Without hesitation, Jonny followed.

 _Ready or not, here we come._

* * *

Long after Reznicek left, Jessie sat under the evergreen, back against its trunk, just breathing and holding her arm as still as possible. She spent the time working up the courage to actually move again. Tears slipped down her face, freezing in the cold air. She didn't even wipe them away. Just breathing was causing enough pain to make her want to sit where she was.

 _And freeze to death? Or wait for the baron to find you?_

So what was the bright side here?

The break wasn't a compound fracture, just a simple one. So although it hurt like hell, she didn't have to deal with blood loss and the possibility of infection.

 _So what's the plan, Bannon?_

She had to move. Find her weapons. Even with a broken arm, she needed those. Get out of the ravine. Find a safe spot to tend to her broken arm.

Jessie took one last deep breath before she scooted herself out from under the tree. Each time she moved forward, her arm would get bumped, shooting more pain through her entire body. She had to bite her lips to keep herself from screaming, and still she thought Reznicek would hear her pained moaning.

Once she was out from under the tree, the next challenge was to stand up. But she was lightheaded from the pain of moving from beneath the evergreen. And stiff from sitting in the cold for so long. She breathed deeply again, controlled breaths like Hadji had always taught her. Until her head felt clearer and the pain had subsided a bit.

Gritting her teeth, Jessie stood in one motion. She held her broken arm close to her body to minimize the pain. Once she was on her feet she had to stand still for a moment or two for her head to clear once more.

Then, step by step, she moved to retrieve her gun and her knife. Bending over to pick them up was a painfully fun experience.

 _Hahah, Jessie. You're so out of it, you're making terrible puns. Even Jonny would groan at that one._

With the knife in one pocket of the jacket, the gun in the other, and her free hand holding her broken arm steady against her torso, Jessie trudged back into the trees at the bottom of the ravine and headed the opposite direction as Baron Reznicek. The ravine here was too steep for her to climb with her broken arm. She could only hope she'd find a gentler incline to get herself out. Plus, she didn't want to leave any obvious tracks should the baron return to this spot.

The pain in her arm was beginning to subside. No, she was just already building a tolerance to it. She had no choice. But she wouldn't be able to go for long without securing it in some way. The last thing she needed was to somehow complicate the injury.

Still, even with the initial sting of pain fading, it hurt worse than anything physical Jessie had experienced in her life. She felt on the verge of tears with every step she took.

 _Please, dad, Jonny, Hadji, Dr. Quest, get here soon._


	21. Chapter 21

Title: _Love and War_ , 21/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: December 10, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: Thanks to the guest who left me a review! I'm so glad you are enjoying this story! Consistent updates are easy when you write the entire story BEFORE posting it! ^_^

Chapter 21

Between the edge of the trees and Reznicek's estate lay an expansive courtyard. In the middle, snow frosted a low and simple hedge maze. The drive came straight out of the forest and then curved wide around the center yard to the house and then back to meet with the straight way. The late morning sun glinted off the snow like diamonds.

Kladivo's van was parked in front of the main entrance and two of his men stood guard. Race crouched with Jonny and the Czech Special Forces men a hundred yards from the edge of the trees.

"They are expecting us, maybe," the leader of the four Czech Special Forces commented. Kulhanek, his name was.

"I wasn't too subtle with them. And Kladivo's not stupid," Race responded.

"This makes our job harder," Kulhanek said.

Race nodded his response, his jaw clenched. Maybe he'd been a little emotional and a little stupid earlier.

Nothing to do about it now except hope for the best.

As Race studied the terrain he felt Jonny's eyes on him. He was still mentally smacking himself for giving in to the young man.

 _Can't think about that now. Focus on Jessie._

"Best plan will be to come from the side," Race finally said. "It'll be our best opportunity not to lose the element of surprise."

"As long as there aren't any more sentries," Kulhanek noted.

"Stay to the trees as you get into position. Be on the lookout. Radio in if you run into any trouble," Race agreed.

"And if we do?" Kulhanek asked.

"Meet back here."

Kulhanek nodded at two of his men—his second, Beran, and Skala—then motioned for the final man, Zima, to follow Kulhanek. Race and Jonny stayed put while the two pairs disappeared among the trees, headed in opposite directions.

Race turned his attention back to the estate. The two men on the ground were the obvious guards, but Race searched the roof of the chateau for an extra sentry up there. After staring for a good five minutes, he didn't see any sign of one.

"We can probably get closer if we stay low," Jonny suggested softly, breaking Race's concentration.

Race looked into Jonny's eyes, searching them. They were filled with impatience, but also earnestness and eagerness. Race knew Jonny wanted to see Jessie safely returned almost as badly as Race did. Almost.

Race's mouth drew in tight as he considered the option. He turned to look back out over the open yard between them and the front doors. His gaze swept over the myriad windows looking out on the courtyard from multiple floors in the chateau.

"We'll want to be close by when Madame President Stasny's men take out those guards, not lose any time," Jonny added.

"We'll also want to be here waiting if they can't execute the maneuver," Race responded.

"Madame President Stasny assured us they were the best," Jonny reminded.

Race shook his head. Having Jonny with him was like being back in I-1 and having a junior agent at his side. A damn good junior agent at that.

With a grunt and a shake of his head, Race said, "Stay low, stay close, and follow me."

With the order given, Race moved through the trees in a crouch, heading for the very edge. He kept his eyes on the hedge maze and the guards beyond, moving only when the men weren't looking directly at him. He could feel Jonny just behind him, hear him breathing and the snow crunching softly under the young man's feet.

At the edge of the trees, Race paused and crouched behind one of the thicker tree trunks. The body language of the men guarding the door looked lax and overconfident. They probably thought no one was coming to rescue the young lady they'd captured. That they'd covered their tracks.

 _Their mistake_ , Race thought grimly to himself, then shook his head. He was still operating on a hunch.

When the goons were looking away again, Race shot forward. He made the hedge in less than three seconds, then kept moving, following the shrubs until he turned and was hidden within the maze. He didn't once look back to check if Jonny was with him. The young man would have to keep up on his own. Race had to focus on rescuing his daughter.

It was callous and Race knew he didn't totally believe the sentiment. He'd never let anything happen to Benton's son, the young man his daughter was apparently falling for. Had already fallen for. A young man that, along with Hadji, was already very much his son.

 _Focus. Jessie needs you to focus._

Moving slower, Race inched through the simple maze, keeping to the center of the isles. He didn't want to shake a hedge and bring the attention of Reznicek's men on him. He crouched so low he was practically army crawling his way forward, wary not just of the guards but of who might see him from the windows or the roof. The radio in his ear was quiet. He wished Kulhanek or one of his men would say something, give him something to let him know how things were going on their end. But Race knew they'd keep radio silence unless necessary.

No news was good news, Race had to remind himself.

Finally he reached the hedge closest to the front entrance of the mansion. Jonny had followed silently and patiently the whole way, exuding none of his usual recklessness. It was a testament to just how much Jonny had come to care for Jessie.

Which was one more reason, on top of all the other reasons, to get her back and soon.

Race carefully leaned around the hedge to check the status of the guards. This close up he could see just how nonchalant the men were about their duty. They both held their automatic weapons one handed, casually, and one of the men was smoking.

Movement at the edge of the mansion caught Race's eye. The Special Forces guys, Kulhanek on one side, Beran on the other, crept along the walls of the chateau toward the guards, using whatever they could for cover. Zima and Skala were still out of sight. Reznicek's men watched mainly the trees and the drive into the courtyard. But one random glance to the side, and the Special Forces soldiers would be spotted.

Race watched their progress, his jaw clenched so hard his teeth hurt. His fingers were tense and tight around the grip of his own weapon. Every time the guards glanced to the sides, Race was sure the Czech soldiers would be spotted.

When Kulhanek and Beran were less than ten yards from their targets, Race knew they'd need a distraction or they'd be spotted. They had to take these men quietly. They couldn't lose the element of surprise. They couldn't reveal their presence. It could mean Jessie's death, if Race had been wrong about this whole thing. If the gunman's threat had been real.

In one fluid motion Race stood, revealing himself to the guards at the door. Startled but well trained, the men brought the barrels of their weapons to bear on Race. Clumsily. They'd have been quicker if they hadn't been so lax in their job. Instinct told Race to shoot the men before they shot him, but he kept his firearm close to his torso.

With the guards' attention on Race, and their delayed response, Kulhanek and Beran sprinted the last few yards and grabbed Reznicek's men before they could squeeze the trigger. Race watched the expert maneuvering of the men Alena had provided him. Silently they disarmed the guards, then put the men in choke holds until they fell unconscious.

Before the guards were immobilized Race had dropped down again, but he watched the action with Jonny over the top of the hedge. As soon as the guards were unconscious, Race was on the move, Jonny right behind him. Race jogged for the van, then leaned against the back doors.

"We don't know if anyone's watching from those windows," Race explained to Jonny.

"So you may have just revealed us with that stunt?" Jonny asked.

Race glanced back at the young man. The smirk he expected wasn't on Jonny's face. The teen's expression was all business.

"Let's hope I didn't," Race shot back. "And it was still better than letting those goons see our guys sneaking up on them. One yell of warning, one shot would have given us away."

 _And killed Jessie._

The conversation was brought to an end when Kulhanek and Beran joined Jonny and Race. The two Czech men had dragged the guards they'd immobilized with them. Reznicek's men were still unconscious, and the Czech soldiers had bound their hands with zip ties. Race tried the back door of the van and found it unlocked. Jonny helped open the doors and the Czech soldiers threw Reznicek's men inside.

After securing the unconscious men's ankles to their wrists with a few more zip ties, Kulhanek and Beran stepped back and crouched down, positioning themselves to be as concealed as possible behind the meager cover the van afforded. Race and Jonny closed the doors as quietly as possible, but to Race the slam still echoed through the cold winter air.

"What's the report from the other two?" Race asked, edgy to be on the move again. He couldn't show it. He had to stay calm.

"They are on reconnaissance, but should join us shortly," Kulhanek replied. "They will radio if they find anything."

"As soon as they arrive, we make our entrance," Race commanded.

* * *

Jessie sat in the middle of a trio of close growing pine trees. She faced the widest opening between the trees, the easiest access Reznicek had to her if he found her. Even then she'd had to push through a couple of scratchy, leafless bushes to get within the protection of the evergreens. Each step had been a painful reminder of her broken arm.

Jessie had walked a good fifteen minutes, by her estimation, away from the baron before finding a slope gentle enough to pull herself out of the ravine. It had still been an ordeal. If there had been no trees for her to hold onto—and rest against—she wasn't sure she'd have ever made it.

Once out of the ravine, Jessie had walked another twenty minutes or so, as best as she could guess, before discovering her hiding place. It was the best position she'd found for caring for her broken arm. And she was reaching the point where she needed to do something about her injury or risk losing consciousness from the pain.

Jessie breathed, steeling herself for what was going to be a very painful process. There wasn't much she was going to be able to do for her arm, but she couldn't walk around holding it with her good hand. She needed to be able to hold her gun or her knife or else be completely defenseless against Reznicek.

The gun currently sat on the ground in easy reach in case she needed it, the knife next to it. She really hoped she didn't need it. She was already extremely vulnerable and about to become more so.

With one last deep breath, Jessie used her good hand to unbutton the jacket. It had been hard enough with two cold hands. It took twice as long working with one. She hoped she'd be able to button it up again when she was done. If she managed to make this all work.

Once the buttons were loose, Jessie's first obstacle was getting the thing off. She shrugged and wiggled her good arm out of its sleeve, doing her best to keep the jostling to her broken arm to a minimum with still plenty of pain. There were tears in her eyes by the time her good arm was freed.

Jessie stopped to breath, each huff turning to mist as she exhaled. She tried to focus on anything else but the pain, another of Hadji's tricks. He always made it look so easy. Then again, she'd never seen him do it with a broken arm.

Knowing she could no longer put it off any longer, Jessie clenched her teeth and propped her broken arm as best she could on her leg. She grabbed the top of the sleeve of her injured arm, counted to three in her head, then began to pull the fabric down.

It hurt almost as bad as the news of her parents' divorce. _Ha! I'll have to remember that one for Jonny!_ Every inch was a battle between the pain and Jessie's will. Once or twice she couldn't help the cries that tore from her throat. When the sleeve was finally piled at her elbow, Jessie took another break. She wiped at her tears with her good hand while she examined her broken arm. It was covered in bruises—more bruises than had already been inflicted—and had a little kink in it.

 _It could be worse. I could be dealing with a compound fracture._

And the cold was already working to numb the pain. Thank goodness for little miracles, _Abuelita_ always said.

Time to go again. Jessie gritted her teeth once more and began to work the sleeve off her lower arm. It went much smoother and faster, with less pain and discomfort, though it still wasn't the easiest task.

When the jacket was free of her body, Jessie spread it on her lap, hoping to conserve and preserve the body heat built up in it. The wind on her bare skin sent an involuntary shiver through Jessie's body that jolted her arm and Jessie bit back a grunt of pain.

 _Gotta make this fast, Bannon_.

Time for the hardest part. The part that made her the most vulnerable.

 _Please don't let Reznicek find me now._

Jessie bunched the coat under her arm to help with keeping it stabilized. Then with another deep breath, she grabbed the strap of her dress and pulled it down over her broken arm. The process was harder than the jacket and more painful. Jessie had to push the top of her dress down to her waist as she also worked the single strap over her injured arm. What little body heat the top of her dress was conserving was whipped away as soon as the wind blew across her skin.

But Jessie didn't stop this time until her broken arm was completely free of the strap.

She sat for a few moments, muttering prayers in Spanish, her good arm across her exposed chest. Despite the cold, she was covered in sweat from the pain and the process. Which was just another way for her to lose body heat that much faster.

 _Just get it done, girl, and be on your way_.

Gingerly, Jessie positioned her broken arm with her forearm across her waist. She wished she had some way of splinting her break, but she'd never be able to do it one-handed. She'd just have to stick to her plan and hope it was good enough.

With her arm in place, Jessie pulled the top of her dress back up. She still managed to jostle her injury and spark pain, but it was much easier than taking the dress off had been. Once Jessie had the strap back on her shoulder she breathed a little easier. The top of her dress was tight enough now that it should keep her arm in place as long as she wasn't too active.

 _I just have to avoid Reznicek long enough for dad to come._

The dress top didn't cover her as well with her arm shoved into the bodice, but Jessie wasn't worried about that. She still had the jacket to put on. Jessie picked up the garment and swung it over her shoulder holding the strap up, then pulled it around so she could put her good arm through the sleeve again. It took a few tries, and the jacket kept falling off her bum shoulder, but eventually she got her good arm in and her other shoulder covered.

Buttoning the thing up was the last obstacle. That took Jessie longer than she would have liked, longer than she would have guessed. She promised herself when she was home again she wasn't going to wear a button up shirt until she could use both arms again.

Once every button on the jacket was secured again, Jessie picked up the knife and shoved it into her pocket, ignoring the sound of ripping fabric. She picked up the gun and gripped it tightly in her good hand. With all the work she'd just used it for, the fingers were fairly warm and limber as they tightened around the grip of the gun.

Jessie had never gotten the chance to check how much ammo the gun still had. She would have to preserve whatever was left, shoot only when she had a high chance of hitting the bastard Reznicek.

Final, final obstacle. Jessie repositioned her legs, extended her good arm for balance, and pushed herself to her feet. She lost her equilibrium once, but managed to keep herself from toppling over. There was some jostling to her broken arm, and some accompanying pain, but her stabilization effort seemed to work.

Jessie looked around, reminding herself where she'd come from. She pushed out through the bushes once more, looking in the direction Reznicek would appear if he'd followed her. There was no sign of him. The forest was still and quiet in the midday sunlight.

Without wasting another moment, Jessie turned in the opposite direction and took up a steady pace. Avoid Reznicek. That was the name of the game. Just like she'd told Jonny at the party the night before.

 _At all costs._


	22. Chapter 22

Title: _Love and War_ , 22/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: December 13, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 22

Jonny stood behind Race, pressed against the outside wall of the mansion. One of the Special Forces men stood ready to enter, the other three spread out on either side of the door. The planning meeting behind the van once the other two Special Forces soldiers had arrived had lasted thirty seconds. Now they were ready to enter the baron's home.

With a nod, the point man signaled he was ready. One of his men pushed open the door and the leader entered. Quickly a second man followed, then a third and a fourth.

Jonny knew Race and the Czechs were communicating over the radio to protect their stealth. So until Race moved, Jonny stayed close. Though he was itching inside to just rush out and find Jessie.

 _Stay cool. For Jessie._

The moment Race moved, Jonny leaped forward to follow. They were the last into the front hall of the chateau. Jonny closed the door quietly behind himself as Race had instructed. They wanted to leave as few signs of their arrival as possible.

The hall was paneled with dark wood, absorbing much of the light that streamed in through the warped windows. A matching staircase curved up to the higher floors to the right. A hallway lay in shadow to the left and another to the right on the far side of the staircase. Straight ahead was a doorway into some kind of parlor.

There were no soldiers inside. After a quick sweep of the immediate area, three of the Special Forces soldiers moved down the hall to the left. The fourth—Jonny was pretty sure his name was Skala, he hadn't really been paying attention—started down the opposite hall. Race followed, and thus so did Jonny.

Jonny didn't have a weapon, but he did have eyes. He moved backward after Race, keeping an eye out for any of Reznicek's men who thought they could sneak up from behind. Jonny stepped carefully, staying aware of his bodyguard. He didn't want to even accidentally bump Race and distract him from the task at hand.

Skala led the way along the shadowed hallway. He and Race kept their weapons aimed in opposite directions, trying to cover every which way at once. Thankfully the hallway was narrow, but there were many doors and each had to be checked.

Jonny was forced to wait outside as Race and the Czech soldier cleared each room. No room took more than thirty seconds to clear, but it made their progress slow and tedious.

 _C'mon, Jess. Be here. We're here. Hear us. Let us know you're okay._

Jonny glanced into one of the rooms. It was small and empty, tastefully decorated but unwelcoming. Another door inside the room opened onto a bathroom. Jonny started to walk on, following Race, when a glint caught his eye.

Jonny stepped back, squinting at the bathroom, rocking forward and backward on his feet until he saw the glint again.

Jonny barely glanced forward where Race and Skala were just coming out of the next room they'd cleared.

"Race," Jonny hissed.

He ducked into the room before he even got a response. Silently he moved across the wood floor. The bedclothes were rumpled. There was a bathrobe piled on the bathroom floor. And on the counter-

Jonny stopped breathing. He stopped everything, standing in the doorway to the bathroom. He simply stared at what lay on the counter.

" _Thanks for all your help, Hadji," Jonny said to his brother as he stared at his finished creation._

" _You did all the hard work," Hadji replied. "I really did very little." Then after a moment he added, "She will love it."_

 _Jonny looked up at his brother as a smile played along the younger teen's mouth. "You think so?"_

" _I am absolutely positive," Hadji assured._

 _Jonny looked back down to the teardrop shaped crystal sitting on a dark blue velvet cloth. He'd been working on this for three months, with Hadji's help. He'd been afraid it wouldn't be done before Jessie left for Christmas with her mom's family. Working on it in secret had been a challenge. Coming up with excuses for Jessie to be able to sneak away and work on it had been a challenge. Once or twice she'd even walked in on him in the lab when he'd been working on it. Both times he'd managed to lie convincingly enough to keep her suspicions at bay._

" _Are you ready for this?" Hadji asked next._

 _The guy was a pro at those loaded questions._

 _Jonny looked back up at his brother. "Is anyone ever truly ready for anything?" Jonny asked back._

" _I would appreciate if you would leave the philosophical questions to me," Hadji retorted._

 _Jonny grinned. "I guess I gotta be ready. I can't wait any longer."_

 _Hadji smiled. "She will love it."_

"Jonny!"

Race's hushed call brought Jonny back to the present. Tenderly, solemnly, Jonny reached out and picked up the items laying on the counter. In one palm he held Jessie's Czech National Hero medal, and in the other, the necklace he'd given her for Christmas. The same one she'd been wearing when she'd been taken.

"Jonny, what is it?"

Jonny turned around and showed Race what he held in his hands. His mouth felt so dry he was afraid he wouldn't be able to speak. Thankfully the situation called for quiet.

"She's here," Jonny said emphatically. "Or else she's been here. This is her medal. She was wearing it at the party last night. And this-"

Jonny looked down at the necklace with its tear-drop crystal twinkling in his palm. With his jaw shaking, Jonny looked back up at Race.

His voice was the lowest of whispers as he finished his sentence. "She was wearing this too."

Every spark of anger Jonny felt in his heart, every rush of hatred that pulsed through his body, was reflected in Race's steely eyes.

* * *

The radio in Race's ear crackled. He stared at Jonny—at what Jonny held—while he listened to the report from the other team.

"We have detained an unarmed man. Instructions?"

Race looked over his shoulder to Skala standing guard in the doorway. Skala looked back, awaiting Race's orders. Race looked back at Jonny.

"Hold on to those," Race instructed his charge. "I'm sure Jessie will want them back once we find her."

Race turned and signaled for Skala to lead the way. They retraced their route back down the hall in a fraction of the time. The front foyer was still empty. Race checked for Jonny as they moved through the mansion, but the young man was staying true to his word. He was practically Race's shadow. And he was keeping an eye out for any rear attacks.

Best damn junior agent Race had ever worked with. That was the perk of raising them yourself.

Race relaxed as they finally joined the other half of their team. They stood around an old man seated in a chair. The walls of the room were filled with hunting trophies and a low fire burned in a fireplace. The man sat at a table set with a pristine white table cloth and one place setting of white china and silver flatware. He wore the sort of suit Race identified with servants.

The man frowned when Race, Jonny and Skala entered the room. He glared defiantly when Race stood before him.

"Has he said anything?" Race asked in English.

"Nothing," the old man in the chair replied, proving he understood Race.

Race leaned over, gripping the arms of the chair and placing his face directly in front of the old man's.

"Where's my daughter?" Race asked quietly.

The man didn't flinch. "I don't know you. I don't know your daughter."

"She's seventeen, has distinct red hair, green eyes. I'm sure you recognize her," Race replied coldly.

"She is not here," the man replied just as coldly.

"Liar," Jonny accused. He shoved the medal and the necklace he'd found into the man's face. "These are hers. She's been here. Where is she?"

The old man considered the necklace and the medal. "I've never seen those in my life."

Race rose and back handed the old man. The Special Forces men didn't flinch, didn't react at all. Jonny looked ready to haul off and smack the old man himself, maybe with Jessie's heavy, pointed medal.

Race's blow had drawn blood, but the old man ignored it as he turned his cold burning eyes back on Race.

"I will tell you nothing," he reassured.

 _I don't have time for this_ , Race wanted to yell at the old man. But he knew he'd only be showing his hand.

Race leaned in again. "I know many ways of making a man talk."

When the threat wasn't enough to get the old man to speak, Race looked at Kulhanek and nodded. The man holstered his weapon and stepped forward, behind the old man in the chair. With a strong hand under the chin, Kulhanek held the old man's mouth shut.

Turning his cold, steely gaze back to the old man, Race found the old man's hand. Within seconds the old man was struggling against Race and Kulhanek as Race pushed the old man's thumb further than it was supposed to go.

Another moment later and it snapped. The old man struggled for a few moments longer from the pain before he relaxed.

Kulhanek removed his hands from the old man.

"Do you remember now?"

"You will get nothing from me!" the old man yelled.

He jumped out of his seat, pushing Race out of his way and scrabbling for the table. Race turned, grabbing after the old man. If the old servant escaped, he'd alert Reznicek's bodyguards to the team's presence.

But the old man wasn't trying to escape. Light flashed along the silver steak knife in his hand. Race's instincts immediately kicked in as he moved to defend himself. The Special Forces team raised their guns at the old servant.

The old man shoved the knife into his own neck instead of attacking anyone. Race jumped back, surprised. Rich, red blood spurted from the old servant's throat as he slumped forward onto the table, staining the table cloth crimson and spattering blood all over the white china.

Race stared at the body of the old man before looking up and around the room. Even the Special Forces team wore shocked expressions as they stared at the dying man. Jonny had gone pale and looked like he could vomit at a moment's notice.

Race shook his head. The man's loyalty to his master was almost admirable.

"Do we dispose of the body?" Kulhanek asked.

Race stood for a moment considering. "We can't clean up this mess. We don't have time. Let's keep moving. And hope we find Jessie and Reznicek before anyone finds this poor fool."

The Special Forces men didn't question his order. Gracefully they stepped into formation. Race glanced at Jonny.

The young man was frozen, staring at the dead man on the table. Jessie's necklace and medal were still clutched in his fists.

"Jonny," Race said quietly to get his attention.

Jonny looked at him. Then all at once he seemed to come back from his trance. He looked down at Jessie's necklace, tightened his fist around it. Finally he shoved both the necklace and the medal into his pockets, then stepped forward to stand by Race.

"Let's find my daughter," Race commanded.


	23. Chapter 23

Title: _Love and War_ , 23/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: December 17, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 23

Race paced along behind the Special Forces team, watching them work. He'd be in the formation with them if he didn't have Jonny to worry about. And he couldn't really complain about the young man's presence. Jonny was no liability. He knew to stay quiet, keep an eye out and watch the group's back.

The Czech soldiers approached and flanked a doorway leading from the dark room they'd just cleared into an area streaming with sunlight. Race hung back, letting the soldiers do their job. After a moment, Kulhanek caught Race's gaze and beckoned him forward with a lift of his chin.

Race swung wide to the side, moving toward the man while steering clear of the entryway. Jonny moved with him. The second man at the door, Zima, made room for Race and Jonny to stand against the wall behind Kulhanek.

Once Race was behind the squad leader, Kulhanek pointed with his chin through the doorway. Race carefully leaned around the man to check the situation.

The far wall of the next room was lined with paned windows that looked out onto the spacious back yard of the estate. Standing in front of those windows was a line of Reznicek's bodyguards, ten in total, their backs to the house. And right in the middle of the group stood Kladivo. Race recognized the man even from the back.

"He's working real hard looking for the baron," Race growled.

He straightened, taking a moment to let his anger for Kladivo fade so he could consider the situation objectively.

"They outnumber us," Kulhanek stated.

Race nodded. "We also don't know how many men are here. That could be the whole lot of them, or there could be more around the house."

"We could finish our search of the house first," Kulhanek suggested.

Race closed his eyes for a moment. The man's suggestion was the safer bet, but it would also take much longer. And there was no guarantee they could do it quietly. If there were more guards stationed throughout the house, and they got into a gun fight, it would certainly draw these ten.

And of course Jessie was still waiting for Race to rescue her.

Race opened his eyes. "We take these guys now. We've got the element of surprise. Go in guns blazing. If that draws any others out, we take care of them as they arrive. Kill if you have to, but let's try to keep at least one alive. We still don't know where my daughter is."

Race looked around at the men, and they confirmed his orders with a nod of their heads. Finally he looked at Jonny. The young man's jaw was tense as he stared back at Race.

"Stay in here until the shooting ends. Find a place to hide where you won't risk taking even a stray bullet. I'll let you know when it's safe to come out," Race told him.

Jonny nodded and immediately peeled off from the wall to head deeper back into the shadows of the room. He crouched down at the opposite end behind a curio shelf.

Race looked back at Kulhanek and signaled the go ahead. All five men checked their weapons, waited for Kulhanek's signal.

When it came, they rushed through the doorway and opened fire.

The glass and wood exploded beneath the hail of bullets. Time almost seemed to slow as shards and splinters rained down on tile and concrete. The ten men standing on the outside jumped out of the way almost immediately, but they never really stood a chance. Out in the open, not expecting an attack, most of them fell instantly.

A minute later, Kulhanek signaled for the shooting to end. Most of Reznicek's men lay in bloody pools spreading through the trampled snow on the patio. Race and the Special Forces team rushed toward the few still standing.

"Stay down! Drop your weapons!" Race ordered in English. Kulhanek repeated the phrase in Czech.

Three men were left alive still. One of the three surviving men was Kladivo.

Kladivo's two henchmen that were still standing dropped to their knees, relinquished their weapons and put their hands up. Kladivo stood with his gun aimed at the approaching quintet of men, a snarl on his face.

Race stared directly into the Czech man's eyes. "Drop your weapon, Kladivo!"

Race and the Czech soldiers stopped just outside the ruined windows, their guns trained on Reznicek's head of security. Kladivo held out another minute before he threw his gun to the ground and held up his hands.

As one, the five men rushed forward to secure the survivors. Skala and Zima secured Kladivo's two compatriots while Kulhanek and Beran checked for survivors among the seven men lying on the stone patio.

Kladivo didn't fight as Race wrenched the man's arms behind his back and secured his wrists with zip ties. Race wished he would, give him a reason to rough up the baron's head of security. Still, Race was on edge around the burly Czech man, waiting for Kladivo to attack, try and escape, do something.

Holding on to Kladivo's hands and shoulder, Race kicked at the back of the bodyguard's legs to force him to his knees.

"Where's Reznicek?" Race demanded.

Kladivo remained silent, staring straight ahead.

"You told me you were leaving to find him. Did you expect to find him at his own house?" Race pressed. He shoved the tip of his gun into the bodyguard's shoulder. "Is this where his kidnappers were most likely to take him? And my daughter?"

Kladivo continued to stare straight ahead without answering. Race's anger at the man had been simmering ever since their confrontation at the castle, but now Race felt that anger boiling over. He'd have no qualms doing whatever he needed to Kladivo to make the Czech man speak.

"If he won't talk," Kulhanek spoke up as if reading Race's mind, "perhaps we apply some pressure."

* * *

Jessie breathed deeply as she leaned against a tree with her good arm. After a moment she made herself turn around to watch the way she'd come. She had to keep watch on the trail she was leaving. It's how Reznicek would find her.

Between her broken her arm, the encroaching cold, and her growing hunger, she simply couldn't find the energy to confuse her trail like she had earlier. Which meant she was an easy target for the baron.

 _Just stay alert. Don't let him take you by surprise._

She'd considered lying in wait for him again. She'd passed multiple spots that would've worked for an ambush. But her first attempt hadn't gone so smoothly and that had been when she'd still had plenty of energy and been uninjured. Jessie had decided her best bet was simply to keep moving. Especially since she needed to create all the body heat she could to ward off hypothermia and frostbite.

Jessie sent up another prayer of thanks to the dead man whose shoes and jacket she'd taken. The gear wasn't meant for prolonged exposure to winter weather, but it had helped her survive this long.

She just had to last a little longer. Stay warm. Avoid Reznicek. Long enough for her dad to get here.

But she was having to take more and more breaks. The pain of her broken arm was sapping her strength, as was her gradually cooling body. Jessie glanced up at the position of the sun. It had moved past its zenith. It was probably one or two in the afternoon. Breakfast with Reznicek had been hours ago.

She had to keep moving. She had to keep putting distance between herself and Reznicek. She had to stay warm.

Jessie pushed off from the tree she leaned against and began trudging forward again. The borrowed boots she wore felt so heavy on her feet, like they were weighing her down. Exhaustion pressed down on her mind and body. She meandered through the trees, not moving in a straight line. Her pace was considerably slower. Once he found her trail again, Reznicek would catch up with her in no time.

Jessie gripped the gun she'd managed to snatch from the baron. She had no idea how much ammo she had. She could have a full clip, or one bullet left. She'd have to be sparing with it.

It was too soon before she needed another break. Jessie stopped and turned around to check her trail.

She dropped into a crouch immediately, bringing her gun up to her chest. Just at the edge of her sight she could see movement. The intermittent breeze wasn't enough to shake the trees and bushes anywhere near enough to match the motion she'd seen.

Jessie narrowed her eyes as she counted her own heart beats. At thirty she was sure.

Reznicek.

He'd found her again, following her trail. Just as she'd predicted.

But she'd spotted him first.

Adrenaline flooded her body, making her suddenly fidgety. She needed to act: attack or run. Fight or flight.

She was a Bannon. She chose to fight.

As she pointed her gun at her hunter, she remembered what Reznicek had warned her about killing him. Showing back up at the chateau with proof of his death would only prompt Reznicek's bodyguards to kill her.

But she didn't have to go back. She just had to last long enough for her dad to come. And he was coming. There was no doubt in Jessie's mind. Her dad _always_ came for her.

Jessie took a deep breath, then exhaled and didn't let her lungs pull in any more air. From this distance, the shot was difficult. She'd made it before at firing ranges, but then she'd not been shaky from injury and cold.

 _You can do this, Bannon. You have to._

Jessie narrowed her eyes, focusing on her target, and squeezed the trigger.

The _bang_ of the gun reverberated in the silence of the forest. Reznicek dropped down, but only half way before he rose again.

Jessie had missed. And she'd given herself away.

She pushed herself around to the back of her tree, frantically debating her next move. Get moving and hope to outrun him long enough to lose him again, despite the trail she was leaving? Not likely. Not in her condition. Stay where she was and hope she got another shot at Reznicek?

A glance around the tree showed he'd taken cover as well.

Stay put or run? Fight or flight?

Both.

Jessie rose from her crouched position and chose her next tree to take cover behind. She checked for Reznicek as her heart beat in her throat. He was nowhere in sight.

Jessie dashed forward, ignoring the pain in her broken arm. When she was almost to her goal a shot rang out. She flinched but kept moving. Ten seconds later she was huddled behind an evergreen tree, safe for the moment.

For just a moment.

Jessie heard the _clack_ of Reznicek charging the bolt to eject the shell and load a new round. A peek around the other side of the tree showed him on the move. And closer than Jessie would have thought. He'd been moving a lot more than she had, edging closer. Jessie swallowed down the panic rising in her. She positioned herself at the edge of the evergreen, hopefully out of Reznicek's sight, and waited.

Her patience paid off. Reznicek ducked out of his hiding spot and moved closer again. Jessie immediately squeezed off a couple rounds at him. Reznicek ducked behind a tree and Jessie took off again, zigzagging around trees.

Another gunshot. Jessie flinched, then screamed out in pain and stumbled. Her good arm burned between her shoulder and elbow. She scrambled for a thick-trunked tree, slipping as she rounded it. She barely caught herself, and pressed her back to the rough trunk.

There was a bloody hole in the sleeve of her jacket, but the burning sensation had dulled to an ache. It still hurt, but it was nothing compared to her broken arm complaining at her from all the running and jostling. Jessie had no way of checking, but she was pretty sure she'd been merely grazed by Reznicek's bullets.

 _That's not a good thing_ , Jessie reminded herself.

It meant Reznicek was getting closer. Close enough kill. And Jessie couldn't outrun him, not with her broken arm, her exhaustion, her hunger.

Another _clack_ from the baron's rifle. Jessie peeked again and saw Reznicek moving toward her again, almost on top of her. She shot at him blindly, forcing him back under cover. But he was so close that if she moved again, gave up her cover, there was no way he could miss her.

And if she stayed where she was, he'd catch her. And have his fun with her. And then kill her.

"Ms. Bannon, I must say I'm impressed," Reznicek called to her, taunting her. "Already you've far outlasted any of my other prey. I almost wish this could go on forever."

Jessie didn't respond. She wouldn't take his bait. She peeked out and saw him start to move. She stopped him with a couple of shots from her gun, but she knew she couldn't keep him at bay this way forever. She only had so many bullets.

How many? It was impossible to know.

 _Daddy, please. I need you._

Gun shots rang out, but they didn't come from Reznicek or Jessie. These were more numerous, and sounded from farther away. Jessie guessed some sort of attack. Or maybe that was just hopeful thinking.

 _No. It's dad._

It had to be. He was here. He was coming for her.

Jessie almost broke down crying right there. But no. Reznicek was still a threat. She had to stay calm.

She leaned out to check on the baron. To her astonishment he was running away from her, toward where the shooting had come from. Jessie considered firing at him again, but already he was too far off. She'd never hit him.

But he was leaving her alone, for now.

 _And probably headed straight for dad._

Back to plan A. Stay hidden, stay safe, until her dad arrived. He was coming. Those gunshots, they had to be him.

He'd take Reznicek down. Jessie didn't doubt it for a moment. It's how her dad was. It's what he did.

Jessie checked on Reznicek one more time. He was just a blur now far out among the trees. He definitely wasn't paying attention to her, and even if he was, he was too far away to do her any harm.

Jessie picked a random direction and took up a slow jog, gritting her teeth and ignoring the pain from her broken arm.


	24. Chapter 24

Title: _Love and War_ , 24/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: December 21, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Chapter 24

Race moved to stand in front of the kneeling Kladivo, aiming his gun and an Antarctic stare down at his prisoner. The Czech bodyguard stared back up at Race, grinning with glee like he wasn't at Race's mercy.

"What have you done with my daughter?" Race asked.

"I have done nothing with her. I have not touched her. I have not seen her since yesterday morning when we met at Prague Castle," Kladivo responded evenly, but with a hint of boasting to his voice.

Race's backhand was fast and sharp and sounded almost like a gunshot. Race had put every ounce of wrath he felt into the blow. Kladivo's head was knocked to the side, and Race had drawn blood at the corner of the man's mouth. Kladivo was still wearing his grin despite the blood when he turned his head to look back at Race.

"What has Reznicek done with my daughter?" Race asked next. "We have proof she was brought here."

"I answer only to the baron," Kladivo stated.

Race flipped his gun around and smashed the stock into Kladivo's nose with all the rage burning inside him. Kladivo's head snapped back, and when he lowered it again, blood dripped from his nostrils and from the lacerations across the bridge of his nose, which was now crooked. Already bruises were beginning to form between and around Kladivo's eyes.

Kladivo spat reddish saliva into the snow and looked back up at Race. "I will tell you nothing." He looked to his men kneeling on either side of him. "You work for the baron. You will tell this man nothing."

The men had looked daunted at what Race had done to their superior, but at Kladivo's words, they steeled their expressions and looked at Race defiantly.

Race didn't let it show on his face, but he knew he wouldn't get anything from these three. And though the thought of doing everything in his power to beat it out of them was satisfying, he didn't have the time. He had to find Jessie.

"This man is still alive," Skala said, drawing Race's attention.

The Special Forces soldier was hauling a humongous man to his knees. The man's uniform was dark and sticky with his own blood. He breathed with effort and Skala had to support him.

"He will not be alive for much longer," Beran noted.

"That's the man that took Jessie."

Race looked to the doorway, more of a hole now after the beating it had taken. Jonny stood there, looking out on the carnage. His hand was to his throat, though the bruising was covered by the turtleneck he wore. His gaze was on the man Skala supported.

Jonny's eyes flicked to catch Race's stare, and Race saw the cold anger in the young man's expression. Race nodded at his charge, then turned back to Skala.

"Think you can get him to talk?"

"I can get him to talk," Kulhanek answered, moving to join his man.

"He is loyal. He will say nothing," Kladivo spoke up. "Besides, as you said, he is close to death. What more can you do to him?"

Kulhanek looked back at Kladivo, the Special Forces man's stare cold and calculating. "I can make what is left of his life a painful hell."

The man didn't look coherent to Race. But then Kulhanek located a bullet wound in the man's shoulder and shoved his combat knife into it. The man screamed out, his eyes suddenly alert.

"Where are the baron and the girl?" Kulhanek asked.

"You will not answer him!" Kladivo yelled out.

Race brought the stock of his semi-automatic down on Kladivo's ear, eliciting a pained cry from the baron's head of security. Kulhanek twisted the knife in the bullet wound, addressing the dying man in Czech this time. Through the man's screaming, Kladivo yelled in Czech as well. Race didn't need to know the language to know Kladivo was threatening his man.

The yelling stopped when a gunshot sounded. Everyone went down, diving for cover. Race crouched down behind Kladivo.

Skala moaned in pain and clutched at his shoulder. Kulhanek, Beran and Zima scanned the house for the source of the shot. But Race looked over Kladivo's shoulder to the woods at the edge of the estate. It took him about thirty seconds, but he spotted the man between the trees.

Reznicek.

Race half-stood behind Kladivo and shot a blast of bullets at the baron, but the man ducked away behind the trees. Race continued scanning the forest in case he reappeared.

"Master, we have told them nothing!" Kladivo screamed.

Reznicek did not reappear, though Race kept searching for another three minutes.

With a growl, Race stood, planted his boot on Kladivo's chest and shoved. The guard toppled backward down the stairs, rolling and bouncing until he hit the flagstones at the bottom. Race almost went after him, but held himself back.

"How's Skala?"

"In pain," Kulhanek said, kneeling next to his man, "but he'll live."

Kulhanek motioned for Beran to attend to their fallen comrade. Then Kulhanek went back to the prisoner he'd been interrogating. Hauling the man to his feet, Kulhanek slammed him into a low wall nearby. The man cried out in pain once more.

Angrily Kulhanek spoke to the man in their native language, all previous calmness gone from his voice. From the bottom of the stairs, Kladivo began yelling again. Race was down the stairs in two seconds, kicking Kladivo in the mouth.

Kladivo cried out in pain, then tried to speak again, but Race had not only bloodied the Czech man's mouth, but done some real damage to his teeth and probably also given him plenty of lacerations. Still, Race kicked Kladivo in the stomach for good measure.

The dying man in Kulhanek's clutches finally blubbered out an answer in Czech and Kulhanek released him, letting him slide back down to the ground. Kladivo mumbled low and menacing to himself in Czech, but Race ignored it as he looked up at the squad leader. The look on the man's face turned Race's stomach. Whatever he had to report, Kulhanek didn't like the news he was about to tell.

"The baron and your daughter are both in those woods," Kulhanek reported haltingly, gesturing behind Race. "He is hunting her."

"No!"

The cry came from Jonny. A moment later he came flying down the stairs, hitting the bottom without touching one step.

"Jonny, stop!" Race ordered, stepping toward his charge.

The young man ignored Race. And Jonny was clever about avoiding his bodyguard. He left a wide berth between himself and Race. Race didn't have enough time to close the distance and stop Jonny. In another five seconds, the teenager was halfway between the patio and the woods. Five seconds after that he disappeared into the trees.

 _Shit_.

Race turned to face the Czech soldiers. "Stay here and keep a watch on this group. Call in backup and medical support. I'm going in. If Jonny shows up with my daughter, get them to safety."

Kulhanek nodded. "Radio if you need back up."

Race nodded back, turned and ran after Jonny. As he crossed the snowy yard, he debated between following the teen or the baron. Ten seconds of deliberation was all he needed.

His best bet to keep Jessie and Jonny safe was to neutralize Reznicek. Race veered left toward the spot where he'd last seen the man.

* * *

The thin jacket wasn't doing much to keep Jessie warm any longer. Every breeze that blew seemed to go right through the thin material. Violent shivers wracked Jessie's body every few minutes as it tried to warm itself. And every shiver shot pain through her broken arm. Her stomach growled along with the shivers, reminding her how long it had been since she'd eaten or drank anything.

Jessie stood within a tight copse of evergreens, pacing in the tiny space, looking through the branches for anyone approaching. For Reznicek approaching. He'd have no problem finding her here. All he had to do was follow her footprints in the snow. But Jessie knew the baron was smart. He'd figure out where she was hiding. And he wouldn't approach from the most obvious direction.

But her dad could find her too, if he was looking for her. She just had to hope she could recognize Reznicek over Race if—when—they approached.

So she paced and watched. Jessie was on the edge and she knew it. Hungry, hypothermic, injured and hunted. She'd heard a few more gunshots about twenty minutes ago, which had prompted her to find a hiding place. Did that mean Reznicek was dead?

Or did it mean her dad…

No, she couldn't think that. She had to believe he was still coming for her.

Jessie pushed such thoughts from her mind and focused on keeping a lookout between the branches of the evergreen trees.

" _Jess, we've passed a million trees that would make a perfectly good Christmas tree."_

" _Perfectly good is not the same as perfect," Jessie said with a cat-like smile for Jonny._

 _He shook his head as they trudged through the forest quiet with snow and sunshine. Somewhere behind them their dads and Hadji followed with a chainsaw and an oversized sled. They'd managed to separate themselves from their family in their search for the year's Christmas tree._

 _Jessie looked forward to this tradition every year, ever since her first Christmas with her dad in America. They were lucky that they had their own woods on the Quest estates to chop down a tree. Jessie'd never had a live tree in Colombia. When she and her mom weren't on dig sites or at universities over the Christmas season, they always had fake trees, or sometimes no trees at all._

" _What about that one?" Jonny asked, pointing to a towering pine._

 _Jessie rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "The compound ceilings are high, Hotshot, but they're not that high."_

" _I'm thinking a multi-floor Christmas tree this year," Jonny explained, grinning. "Cut a hole in the ceilings and stick the tree up through. We could decorate it on every floor."_

" _You go ahead and convince your dad of that one," Jessie teased. "I'm sure he'll go for it."_

 _Jessie looked around, studying the evergreens. As she did she explained to Jonny, "It has to be tall, of course—but not that tall—because it'll look dinky in the vaulted rooms if it isn't. But we also gotta make sure there's room for the topper. And not scraggly-"_

" _-because then no matter how many ornaments or lights you put on it, it'll just look sad and pathetic. So nice thick, green branches. And not too wide…"_

 _Jonny was grinning at her and Jessie was trying to keep herself from smiling or turning red._

" _Heard that rant a few times, have you?" she asked._

" _Once or twice," Jonny teased. "You could probably find something a little subpar since you won't even be here for Christmas."_

 _Jessie didn't miss the sadness Jonny was trying to keep out of his voice. The same sadness that twinged at her heart._

 _She looked at her best friend. "I want the best for my family, even if I won't be there. And besides, I don't leave for another two weeks, so I have plenty of time to enjoy it."_

" _Okay, so pick one, already, Ace. We've been at this an hour and Mrs. Evans is waiting back at the compound with hot chocolate and cookies."_

 _Jessie laughed. "You can't rush this, Hotshot. You know that."_

 _Jonny gave an exaggerated sigh, but by the smile he was wearing, he wasn't annoyed with her in the least._

 _Jessie looked around, judging each pine tree in sight, searching for that perfect one. After a few moments of walking in silence, Jonny's arm settled casually around her shoulders. Jessie bit her bottom lip to keep herself from reacting too much. And slipped her arm around his waist in return as she leaned against him and kept searching._

Jessie froze. Her eyes narrowed as she tracked movement far off in the trees. She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob.

Jessie squeezed her eyes shut. _Get a hold of yourself. Don't lose it now. You're not dead yet._

But after the threat Reznicek had left her with before sending her into the woods, maybe dead was the better option.

She had to stop that. Jessie opened her eyes and wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. She adjusted her grip on her gun, ignoring the ache in her fingers from holding it so tightly for so long. She blinked a few times to clear the haze from her eyes and zeroed in on the dark form.

It wasn't her dad. She knew the way her dad moved. This wasn't it.

Jessie double-checked to make sure the safety on her gun was off—not that she'd ever turned it on, but she didn't want to botch an opportunity to kill Reznicek—then raised it and pointed it straight at the figure. A shiver ran through her body and she waited until it passed. Then she focused on steadying her body, steadying the point of her gun.

Reznicek disappeared between two thick trees, then reappeared on the other side a few seconds later. Jessie tracked him with her gun.

 _Closer. Closer._

She wasn't going to make the same mistake as before. She'd wait until she knew she could make the shot before she squeezed the trigger.

Reznicek was taking his sweet time, meandering through the woods.

 _Having his fun. He knows he has the upper hand._

Jessie wasn't going to let his mind games work on her. He'd admitted during their last run-in she'd already outlasted any of his previous victims. Now he was going to find out just what a mistake he'd made, forcing her to play his game.

Reznicek disappeared among the trees again, and reappeared. With every minute that passed he was getting closer, becoming a bigger target.

 _C'mon, just a little closer._

Her heart was racing at the prospect of beating Reznicek at his own game. Even more at reuniting with her father. He was here. He was looking for her.

Jessie made herself breathe to slow her heart. She couldn't let anything ruin this opportunity.

Reznicek disappeared behind another group of trees. He appeared again and now she could see the way his head was swiveling around, looking for her, looking for clues to lead him to her.

 _Not this time, asshole._

Jessie held her breath and applied pressure to the trigger.

"Jessie?"

Jessie's breath exploded out of her. All of the tension in her body melted away at once. She dropped her hand to her side, her gun un-fired. She almost fell over.

In the next moment she was a flurry of movement, pushing her way through the branches of the evergreen. She ignored the pain it caused her broken arm. The sob that came out of her had nothing to do with the throbbing of her injuries.

"Jonny!" she called out as she finally stumbled free of her hiding place.

She half fell to the ground, then pushed back to her feet. She couldn't quite seem to get her balance, felt like with every step she was going to hit the ground.

Jonny was running toward her, dodging between the trees. Even across the distance his blue eyes seared into her.

It was him. It was really him.

Jessie stumbled again just as she reached him.

But Jonny was there to catch her.


	25. Chapter 25

Title: _Love and War_ , 25/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: December 24, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: Merry Christmas Eve, everybody. I hope you all have a great holiday season. Thanks for the amazing support you guys all show me.

Chapter 25

There she was, coming toward him. Her face was smudged with dirt and covered in tiny scratches. Her red hair was a tangled mess, the soft curls from the night before flattened and snarled, twigs and needles caught in them.

She wore a thin, dirty jacket and heavy hiking boots. The bottom of her dress was frayed and dingy and wet with snow.

She gripped a gun tightly in her hand.

But it was Jessie.

Just as he reached her, Jessie stumbled and fell. Jonny leaped forward to catch her before she hit the ground. They fell to their knees together. Her weight in his arms, against his chest, filled him with relief and joy beyond measure.

And then she cried out in pain.

Jonny backed off immediately, pulling his arms away from her, but hovering them around her still. He studied her for injury, his face contorted with concern and horror that he might have somehow hurt her.

Jessie had one arm wrapped around her waist, her hand holding the gun pressed gingerly to her opposite hip. The left sleeve of her jacket hung down limp and empty. Blood stained the other sleeve on her upper arm, leaving a trail from a hole in the jacket.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Jonny asked, his words stumbling over each other to get out.

Jessie took a shaky breath, inhale and exhale, before she could speak. "My arm. It's broken. And Reznicek grazed the other one with one of his shots."

All the dark emotions that had left Jonny at seeing Jessie alive came crashing back down on him. But he forced them to the background as Jessie shivered violently, causing a whimper of pain. He noticed the blue tinge at the edge of her lips.

"We have to get you out of here," Jonny stated.

He pulled the black skull cap from his head and shoved it down over Jessie's hair, covering her ears. Next he unzipped his jacket and shrugged out of it. When he placed it around Jessie's shoulders, she shoved her good arm through the sleeve, gun first. Jonny zipped the garment up for her.

Jessie leaned forward, pressing her face into the crook of his neck and shoulder. It hurt his bruises, but he didn't care in the least. He was more worried about how cold her skin was against his own.

But Jessie was alive. She was back in his arms. He put an arm around her from her good side, and placed his other hand on the back of her head, dipping his face as well.

"It's gonna be okay, now, Jess. We're here. We're getting you out of here," Jonny assured quietly.

Jessie nodded without lifting her head. "Dad?"

"Probably out here as well, looking for us. I kinda ditched him when we found out what the baron was up to," Jonny admitted.

Jessie raised her face to him, half a smile on her lips. "Well that's not like you at all, Hotshot."

Jonny laughed, not just at Jessie's sarcasm, but at the fact that he was here with her, safe and sound. Almost. But they were reunited. He slipped his hand against her cheek.

Her skin was so cold. He had to get her out of here, get her somewhere warm and safe.

"C'mon," he said, rising to his feet. "Your dad told me if I found you, my first priority was to get you to safety."

With his hand on her good arm he helped her to rise. She was still so unsteady. He guided her to his side but she protested.

"Wait." Jessie held out the gun she held. "Check how much ammo we have left."

Gingerly Jonny took the gun. Carefully he checked the chamber for a round and found one. He ejected the clip. Empty.

"One bullet," Jonny said as he shoved the clip back into place.

Jessie stared at the gun, her eyes a little wide. Jonny didn't like the fear he saw in them. But when she held her hand out for it, he didn't deny her. He handed it back to her.

"Reznicek's still out here," she said solemnly. Her grip on the gun was vice-like. "If he's not been caught, he's still hunting me." Her eyes looked up and met Jonny's. "Hunting us, now."

"Then let's get out of here," Jonny suggested. "We can go back to the house."

"It's been secured?" Jessie asked.

"The goons guarding it are dead or in custody," Jonny assured.

Jessie took a deep breath, releasing a sigh of relief.

"We have to keep an eye out for Reznicek," she ordered. "He's much better armed than we are. If he sees us first…"

She shivered. Jonny pulled her against him and, this time, Jessie didn't resist. She pressed into his warmth. Jonny kept his arm around her, carefully, so as not to jostle her injuries, trying to imbue as much of his own heat into her as he could.

"Let's hurry," Jonny said.

He turned her back in the direction of the mansion and together they set off through the trees.

Race was kicking himself for not giving Jonny a radio. He should have known. Jonny was Jonny. The young man had shown considerable restraint during this entire operation, but Jonny was going to give into his nature at some point.

Now Race was tiptoeing through the forest with no idea where Jonny, Jessie or Reznicek were. If he'd gone ahead and given Jonny that radio they could be communicating, keeping each other apprised of their positions. Now Race had to worry about, when he spotted a potential target, whether it was the baron or the kids before he could take a shot.

Those precious seconds might not seem like much, but in this game, it could be the difference between life or death for him.

At least Reznicek was leaving a nice trail for Race to follow. In this snow he didn't have much of a choice.

 _Neither did Jessie._

The thought made Race tense up and he forced his muscles to relax. He had to stay loose and ready. Reznicek was obviously armed. And he had home turf advantage. The forest was unfamiliar territory to Race that afforded way too many hiding places. He had to be absolutely alert and careful.

Jessie was counting on him.

So Race moved forward slow and steady, eyes roaming the landscape back and forth, searching for anything out of place, any movement. He kept his breathing steady, walked as quietly as possible, both to conceal himself and listen for any indicating sounds Reznicek might make. Race held his rifle close against his body, the barrel pointed at the ground. He gripped it firmly, ready to pivot it into position at a moment's notice.

Reznicek's footprints in the snow trailed off ahead of Race between bare trees so that he couldn't see the end of them. How fast was the baron moving? It was tempting to pick up the pace, but Race stilled the urge.

Slow and steady.

The footprints ran between two thick evergreens and Race paused. There was enough room to fit between them, but it was impossible to see the other side. Reznicek could very well be lying in wait. Better to go around.

Race raised his weapon to the ready position and veered off to his left, side stepping around the pines. He moved slowly, stepping carefully and quietly as he rounded the tree. He didn't want to trip or make too much noise. If Reznicek was waiting for him, Race wanted to take him by surprise. Dispose of the man quick and neat.

Then go find his daughter.

The front of the trees came into sight and Race searched the branches for signs of the baron, but Reznicek was nowhere in sight. Race lowered his weapon again, tight against his body, barrel pointed to the ground. The footprints in the snow led forward without a break or a deviation.

Race grunted to himself, then stepped forward to take up the trail again.

"I knew you'd do that."

Race turned at the sound of Reznicek's voice. The man was bearing down on him, the glint of a wicked hunting knife in his hand. Too close to get off a shot, Race used his rifle to block the attack, pushing the baron back.

But Reznicek was fast, and the wicked glint in his eye was scarier than the knife in his hand, or any of the other weapons holstered on his body. The baron shot right back at Race, slashing with the knife, and Race was forced to defend or take the blow. Rebuffed once again, the baron circled, slipping behind trees, forcing Race to spin to keep the man at his front.

The baron attacked again from behind a tree, his knife held high. Race put his rifle up then kicked at Reznicek's stomach with a snow-encrusted boot. Reznicek twisted and the blow glanced. The baron spun off again between the trees, circling.

Every time Reznicek attacked and Race fended him off, the baron pushed back in again. The man was no dummy. He knew if he gave Race enough time and distance, Race would get a shot off, and he'd only need one. He wasn't even giving Race enough time to grab his own combat knife for the encounter.

Race had to get control of this fight.

"Where's Jessie?" Race barked the next time he threw the baron away.

The man laughed and didn't answer, just struck again, coming in from Race's rear right flank. Race ducked and then shoved the baron's exposed torso with his shoulder. The Czech man huffed as he stumbled back, but then came right at Race again with a roar.

Race let go of his weapon so it hung by the strap and grabbed for Reznicek. The force of the baron's attack shoved him back against a tree, but Race had a grip on the man's wrists. Reznicek pressed in, the point of his knife aimed at Race's throat. Race pushed back, struggling to keep the knife away.

"Your daughter is a very clever, very resilient young woman, Mr. Bannon. I'm sure she takes after you," Reznicek said, increasing his pressure against Race's hold.

The knife inched nearer.

"What have you done to her?" Race growled. He redoubled his effort against Reznicek and the knife's progress halted.

"Nothing, yet, though not for lack of trying. She has been an excellent player in my game," Reznicek assured.

"You're sick," Race stated, every muscle in his body straining. "And you're not getting away with this."

"I've been getting away with it for years. And now you're here, the game has become even more interesting. I have two prey to hunt and kill. My biggest challenge yet."

"That's your biggest mistake," Race responded, "thinking a Bannon is ever prey."

Race pushed with his entire body, shoving Reznicek back. The man stumbled and fell into the snow, but he used the momentum to somersault backward and come up at the ready on one knee. In the time it took the baron to complete the maneuver, Race had his combat knife in hand and was lunging for the man.

Reznicek was quick, though. He rolled off to the side and up to his feet, leaving Race on his hands and knees in the snow. Race scrambled to get off the ground before Reznicek took advantage of his position. But when Race finally found his feet again, Reznicek was gone. Race spun around, looking for the baron's next attack. He finally spotted the Czech man running off between the trees.

Race sheathed his knife and took his gun to hand again. But before he could get Reznicek in his sights, the man disappeared behind a stand of pines. Race lowered his gun, staring at the spot where Reznicek disappeared.

After a moment of deliberation, Race started running toward the pines, following Reznicek's trail once more.


	26. Chapter 26

Title: _Love and War_ , 26/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: December 28, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: Thank you for the favorites and follows! Enjoy!

Chapter 26

Jessie was still shivering. Her arm still hurt like hell. She was still exhausted and starving and dehydrated.

But now she had Jonny beside her. His arm around her, pressing her to his side, didn't do much against the Czech winter day. Or the cold already settled into her bones. Jessie could feel the little shivers that ran through his body. He'd given her his coat, and his turtleneck wasn't much protection against the cold.

But his presence made all the difference to Jessie.

Still, they had to get out of this forest, out of the cold, as soon as possible. They were moving as quickly as they could, following Jonny's trail back to the estate. But Jessie felt like the trees were never going to end.

They both scanned the forest around them. As far as they knew, Reznicek was no less a threat. He could appear at any moment.

And now Jonny was in as much danger as Jessie was. That was the other side of the coin of having him by her side. If Reznicek found them, what would he do to Jonny?

Jessie couldn't think about it. She gripped her gun, holding it slightly in front of her as she watched the trees all around for any movement.

One bullet. One chance to kill before being killed.

She'd given the knife to Jonny. She'd made him take it so he had a weapon. He held it loosely in his free hand, the one not wrapped around her. It wasn't much, Jessie knew, but he knew how to use it. And it was better than nothing.

She glanced at Jonny and he glanced at her, their eyes meeting for a moment. Just long enough for Jessie to feel a rush of excitement and relief and even hope all tangled together before they both focused back on keeping a look out.

"How'd you know to find me here?"

Even speaking softly, Jessie's voice sounded too loud in the quiet of the forest, too revealing. But she was tired of silence. It was going to drive her insane.

"It was really just a lucky hunch," Jonny answered, keeping his voice low as well. "Your background search on the baron was a big help though. Reznicek has a lot of shady events from his past."

"I'm not surprised to hear that," Jessie said. "You managed to get into my laptop?"

"Hadji did."

"Damn. I'll have to change my password."

"President Stasny loaned your dad a few Special Forces guys to come check this place out. And I tailed along."

Jessie glanced at Jonny. He was grinning.

"What did it take to convince dad to let you come?"

"Uh, a whole lot of charm," Jonny evaded.

Jessie snorted. "And what about your dad?"

"I went with just not telling him," Jonny admitted.

Jessie raised her eyebrows at his answer as she continued to scan the horizon. "I hope I'm not around when-"

Jessie froze. A sob almost escaped her. She leaned forward, needing to make sure she was really seeing what she was seeing.

"Dad," she breathed.

She felt Jonny turn in her direction. She was unable to take her eyes off her dad, fifty yards away, stalking through the trees holding a rifle at the ready. But from the corner of her eyes she saw Jonny raise his hand to signal to Race. Jessie shushed him before he could call out. He looked at her in confusion, but Jessie just pointed.

With her gun. And she didn't let her arm fall.

Another figure moved through the trees a few yards behind her dad. Reznicek. Stalking after Race.

From what Jessie could tell, neither of them had seen the teens or knew she and Jonny were watching.

Her breath caught when Reznicek paused and brought his rifle up. He aimed right at Race. Jessie focused her aim on the baron.

Her hand was shaking.

"He's gonna shoot Race," Jonny whispered, the same fear in his voice that was clenched around Jessie's heart.

Jessie stepped away from Jonny. The last time she'd tried this shot at this distance, she'd missed. This time if she missed…

Jessie forced herself to breathe out, then in and then pause her breathing. She lined up the sights of the gun.

Jonny placed a hand gently on her back.

Jessie squeezed the trigger. The shot scared off the birds in the area. The bolt locked open.

Both Race and Reznicek dropped to the ground.

"Race!"

Jonny was the one who had cried out. Jessie couldn't move, couldn't breathe. She was still pointing the gun at where the baron had been. She counted the beats her heart should have thumped out in her chest.

 _Please, dad. Please get up._

Behind her, Jonny was just as still.

Jessie finally let her arm drop when she saw movement. And then the breath exploded from her when her dad stood up.

Race looked around, then finally spotted Jessie and Jonny. Jessie caught her father's eye. She pointed to where the baron had been. He nodded and stalked back in the direction she indicated, rifle at the ready.

Jessie tracked him with her eyes, reminding herself to breathe. She gripped the gun, useless as it was.

Her father approached the spot where Reznicek had been standing. He paused, nudged something with his foot, then lowered his rifle.

Jessie finally relaxed, the adrenaline leaving her body. She felt herself beginning to fall.

But once again, Jonny was there to catch her.

Jessie held onto him with her good arm, dropping her useless weapon to clutch a bunch of his shirt in her fist. She watched her father approach at a run. He swung his rifle around so it was positioned behind his back.

"Watch out. Her arm's broken," Jonny warned, stopping Race before he pulled her into a bear hug.

But Jessie stepped forward and wrapped her good arm around her father, pressing her face into his chest. She felt his arms gently encompass her.

It felt like home.

"Jessie," Race said with a shaking voice, his warm breath against her scalp and in her hair.

"Dad," Jessie breathed back, holding back her sobs. "I knew you'd come."

"I'll always come," he promised.

Jessie tightened her arm around her. She felt Jonny's presence behind her, quietly, patiently watching them. She raised her arm to look into her father's face. He brought a hand to her face, gently rubbing a thumb across her cheek.

"Reznicek?" she asked. She had to now.

Race just shook his head. It was enough for Jessie.

"Come on, you two," Race finally said, guiding Jessie carefully to his side, "let's get out of here."

* * *

Jonny sat alone in a hospital waiting room leaned forward with his arms resting on his thighs and his head hung down. Race had gone with Jessie through the restricted double doors to his left about a half an hour ago. But Jonny wasn't technically family. So he waited for his own family and Estella to arrive.

After Jessie had killed Reznicek, she, Jonny and Race had walked out of the forest together, Jessie tucked into Race's side. The Special Forces team was waiting for them. Backup had already arrived. A helicopter sat right in the expansive backyard, it's rotors circling slowly, ready for takeoff.

Skala had already been treated and loaded in. Race, Jessie and Jonny were escorted right to and in the chopper. As soon as they were secured the chopper lifted off.

Jonny sat next to Jessie for the two and a half hour ride back to Prague. The entire time he'd watched her while she'd leaned against her dad, holding tightly to Race's hand. Honestly, Jonny had been a little jealous. He sat on her left, the side with her broken arm, wishing he could hold her hand too.

He'd had to remind himself that he should be happy he was sitting next to her at all, safe and mostly sound. He focused on the shivers in her body, and how they gradually diminished in the warmth of the helicopter. Sitting between Jonny and Race absorbing their body heat probably helped as well. He hoped it did.

"The shooter at the café," Jessie suddenly spoke. "He was hired by Reznicek."

Race looked at his daughter and Jessie lifted her head to look into her dad's eyes.

"Reznicek thought you were joining us for lunch there. He wanted to see you in action. He originally meant to take you, not me. But then I took care of the situation and…"

Jessie swallowed, her gaze lowering. She rested her head back on Race's shoulder, closing her eyes. Race kissed her hair, lingering, before resting his cheek against his daughter's head. Jonny slowly breathed in and out.

Reznicek was dead. Jessie had killed him.

"Jonny!"

Jonny lifted his head, then stood. His family rushed toward him, Estella at the front.

Jonny reached out and pulled her into an embrace as she reached him.

"Where's Jessie? Is she okay?"

"She's okay," Jonny assured. He put Estella at arm's length. "She suffered some injuries. She's waiting for you. You can go on through those doors. The staff knows to expect you. They'll take you to where Jessie and Race are."

Estella squeezed Jonny. "Thank you." Then she was rushing off again.

Jonny watched her until the double doors swung closed behind her. Then with a deep breath he turned to face his family.

"Is Jessie okay?" Hadji asked before anyone else could speak.

Jonny nodded. "She will be. She's got a broken arm, a few other injuries. She was pre-hypothermic when we finally found her."

"And the baron?" Benton asked.

"He was behind it, just like we thought." Jonny had to pause and shake his head before he could explain to his dad and brother the entire situation.

 _Jessie is safe and alive. They're treating her now. You'll see her again soon._

"The baron was hunting her," Jonny said.

"What?"

"Hunting her how?"

"I don't know all the details, but basically he took her so he could hunt her like some wild animal."

Jonny stopped. He couldn't speak for the rage boiling up in him. His jaw and teeth hurt from how tightly they were clenched.

Hadji placed his hand on Jonny's arm. Jonny caught Hadji's dark, concerned gaze. "She is safe."

Jonny nodded.

"Then let us be glad for that," Hadji advised.

Jonny nodded again, glancing over his shoulder at the double doors.

"What happened to Reznicek?" Benton asked.

Jonny turned back to his family. "He's dead. Jessie shot him."

Benton nodded. Neither he nor either of his sons spoke for a moment.

"I'm glad she's come back to us safely," Benton finally said.

Again Jonny heard that fatherly concern in his dad's voice for Jessie. But in his next statement it was gone.

"Now would you care to explain what you were thinking, Jonathon?"

Jonny stared at his dad, keeping his expression neutral. Benton stared back, patiently awaiting his son's response with sternness in his eyes.

Jonny started with, "Don't be mad at Race."

"Race and I will talk later-"

"No. He didn't want me to come along. I gave him no choice. I promised him I wouldn't let you blame him for my going with him. So you can't be mad at him."

Benton sighed and rubbed at his face. "That doesn't explain why you thought heading into a dangerous situation was a good idea."

"Because Jessie was in that dangerous situation. I was going for her." Jonny stuttered, struggling to put into words the tangle of feelings inside of him.

"Race went after her. With a team of specially trained soldiers. He's her father and he's more than capable of taking care of such situations."

"I couldn't just sit around waiting to hear if Race was successful or not. I needed to be looking for Jessie. I had to help find her."

"Jonathon, you're sixteen years old."

"And I've been through more than most forty-year-olds!"

"That doesn't negate the fact that you had no business going."

"You tell me that if it had been mom, you wouldn't have done the exact same thing."

Benton froze. Jonny knew he'd hit his dad's sore spot, bringing up Rachel Quest. It was both their sore spots. But Jonny hadn't brought her up for that reason. He wasn't trying to blindside his dad.

Jonny just wanted his dad to understand.

"You told me you loved her the moment you met her. Go ahead and tell me that if, a week after that, she'd been abducted, you wouldn't have gone after her."

Benton sat hard in one of the waiting room chairs, staring out at nothing. Jonny stepped back, wondering if he'd gone too far. He glanced at Hadji who was staring at his family with wide brown eyes. The elder son caught his little brother's eyes and Jonny silently wondered what Hadji must be thinking right now.

Hadji shook his head. It wasn't an answer to Jonny's pleading eyes. The elder son simply didn't know what to do.

"Are you saying," Benton suddenly spoke, pulling Jonny's gaze down to his dad, "that you feel about Jessie the way I feel about your mother?"

Jonny stuttered, unable to answer. Finally he sighed and sat down by his dad.

"I don't know," the teen answered hesitantly but honestly. He was suddenly afraid of the things he was admitting to his dad. But he couldn't deny them. "I know I feel very strongly about her, and I know it's real. And I know losing her would absolutely tear me apart."

Benton looked at Jonny. The elder Quest looked as if he would say something, but then he closed his mouth and stood.

"There's nothing more we can do here. Let's return to the castle. We can wait for Jessie, Race and Estella there. And Alena would appreciate an update, as well," he said.

Benton walked toward the exit. Jonny exchanged another look with Hadji. This time the elder of Dr. Quest's sons had no comfort to give his younger brother.

With another sigh, Jonny followed his dad and brother, but not before one more glance at the double doors at the end of the hall.


	27. Chapter 27

Title: _Love and War_ , 27/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: December 31, 2016

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: I'm so behind on my review replies, but thanks to all who have reviewed the last couple of chapters. They make me as happy as Jonny makes Jessie and vice versa! Also, happy New Year's! I can't believe we are down to the last two chapters. This has been an awesome ride and I hope you've all enjoyed it! I really enjoyed writing and sharing this story with you all! So enjoy this chapter! The last one posts on Wednesday!

Chapter 27

The x-ray techs spoke to each other softly in Czech and gently in English to Jessie. Race sat in a plastic chair at the edge of the room, his throat tight, watching the techs prepare Jessie for the x-ray. He wished he could be helping his daughter, but he had to let the techs do their job.

Jessie kept looking at him, catching his eye, until the techs pulled her attention away again. They'd given her a shot of something to help her with the pain. Every time he locked eyes with his daughter, he could see the tightness in her face lessen.

Currently she had her good arm in a hospital gown and one of the techs held it in place across Jessie's torso while the other cut away her dress to release the arm Jessie had tucked away.

 _Smart girl_ , Race thought to himself with a mixture of pride and pain.

The techs had already removed the two jackets she'd been wearing. The tech in charge of the cutting gently peeled away the bodice of the dress from beneath the hospital gown and Jessie winced only a little. Which made Race wince a lot, but he kept it on the inside.

He knew he needed to be strong for Jessie, so that when she looked at him, she would find comfort and assurance in him.

Once Jessie's dress had been cut off and removed, the techs helped her to lay down on the x-ray table, one of them supporting the broken arm, the other maneuvering the hospital gown to keep her covered. Race's entire body tightened when he saw the bruising running all up and down her upper arm, the odd bulge. His hands were tight fists and he was ready for action. For revenge. Instinctually he promised to make the man who'd hurt her pay, then remembered those men were already dead.

Race forced himself to relax. Jessie knew him too well. She'd see his tenseness and start to worry. He needed her to just worry about herself.

The techs worked to take the x-rays the doctor would need to assess and set Jessie's broken bone. They maneuvered the machine, adjusted the placement of her arm. The entire process took about ten minutes. Then the techs helped Jessie move back to the gurney to transport her back to her hospital room. They placed a special blanket on her to help raise her body heat. She'd mostly come out of her hypothermia through the two-hour helicopter ride, but she would still shiver every once in a while, and the doctors wanted to be safe.

Race stood as one of the techs wheeled her toward him and the door. Race fell into step beside Jessie's gurney, studying her face as they all exited the x-ray lab and navigated the halls of the hospital. He found her hand with his own, holding it gently as he watched his daughter. He took a shaky breath when he felt her squeeze his hand.

 _You're safe. You're safe. And you're gonna be okay._

Race glanced at the techs. He wanted so badly to ask about the x-rays, but Race knew the answer he'd get. They weren't allowed to diagnose. He'd have to wait for the doctor.

He just had to be patient. He always thought he was pretty good at that after all the time he'd spent in I-1, but moments like these proved how thin his patience really was.

Jessie's hand squeezed his again. Race looked down at his daughter and smiled. Her eyes were a little glassy, but she smiled back. Whatever they'd given her for the pain was making her a little loopy.

Gently holding his daughter's hand, Race remembered how cold it had been at the beginning of the helicopter ride. Like holding ice. Her shivers had been violent and uncontrollable at first. He'd held her hand so tightly in both of his during the entire ride back to Prague, willing his warmth into her, praying he hadn't been too late.

Now he was so grateful he hadn't been.

 _But were you?_

She still had a broken arm, a bullet graze. She was recovering from a close brush with hypothermia. Even the tiny scratches on her face enraged him.

Race had to let go of Jessie's hand temporarily once they reached her room so the nurse could help her from the gurney to her permanent bed. Probably a good thing. He was getting worked up again. He'd been fighting the urge to tighten his fingers into a fist. She'd feel the tenseness in his hand.

Race sat back in a chair by the window as he forced himself to relax once more so the nurse could insert the IV on the inside of her arm by the elbow.

Race gave into his impatience. A little. But he tried not to let it show in his voice when he asked, "How long until the doctor gets the x-rays?"

The woman didn't even look up as she answered, focusing on her job at hand. "Twenty, maybe thirty minutes. She will review them before she comes to speak with you."

Race nodded, though the nurse wasn't looking at him. She finished with the IV and then turned up the sleeve of Jessie's hospital gown on her good arm to address the gunshot wound there. Jessie stared up at the ceiling with her glassy eyes as the nurse cleaned and bandaged her arm. Race thought about the scar the grazing would leave: a constant reminder of her fight for survival against Reznicek.

And that was just the visible one.

From his position, Race couldn't see what the nurse was doing. He could just barely see Jessie's face. Jessie didn't flinch once as the nurse worked on her, which meant the pain meds they'd given her were definitely working. Good. She'd endured enough pain in the last twenty-four hours.

Jessie turned her head to the side to look at what the nurse was doing, then lifted her lids and found her father again. Race caught her gaze and held it for as long as he could, staring into his daughter's bright green eyes for as long as she could stay focused on him, thanking the universe she was alive.

Then Jessie blinked and turned her head to look back at the ceiling.

The nurse finished tending to Jessie's gunshot wound, placing a bandage over the site, and stowed her supplies on a silver tray. "The doctor will be here with the results of the x-ray soon," she said before she exited, rolling her tray of supplies along with her.

Race grabbed one of the lighter plastic chairs and dragged it to the side of Jessie's bed. The movement caught her attention and she turned her head to look at him once more.

"How are you feeling, Ponchita?" Race asked as he gently pushed stray red strands from her forehead, took Jessie's hand in his own.

He had to be careful of the IV and the fresh bandaging. Jessie's fingers curled and uncurled around his.

"I'm floating right now," Jessie finally said. "But I'm finally warm again, so I'm okay with that."

In this state, Race knew he wasn't going to get much of a conversation with her. So he just held onto her hand and watched her look around her room. Sometimes her eyes would drift closed, and Race kept expecting her to fall asleep, but the lids always lifted again after a while.

"You know, I was gonna tell you, before he took me, that I had a bad feeling about the baron," Jessie suddenly said. She turned her eyes on her father, half-lidded, but also suddenly half aware.

"How come you didn't?" Race asked. He reached out and ran the back of his fingers across her cheek, feeling the scratch of the scabs from all the tiny lacerations on her face.

Jessie made a gesture with her shoulders that Race interpreted to be a shrug. "I didn't get the chance. And it kinda slipped my mind."

"Do you think it would have made a difference?" Race asked. He was barely breathing as he talked to her, his voice a hushed whisper.

"I don't know. Maybe," Jessie responded, clumsily shaking her head side to side. "Was he on your radar at all?"

"He was after he made a pass at you at the café," Race grumbled, feeling his heart tighten as he recalled that moment from just a day or so ago.

Had it really only been that long? The last two days had felt like an eternity.

The corners of Jessie's mouth lifted for a moment. It was crazy how seeing her smile like that could loosen him right up again.

"I guess I got too focused on the shooter," Race admitted.

Jessie didn't answer. Her eyes were closed and they stayed closed. She'd finally succumbed to the painkillers and the exhaustion of her trauma. Race sat quietly watching her, holding her hand in both of his. He kept his gaze on her face. He still couldn't look at her broken arm without filling with rage.

Race didn't know how much time passed before the door to Jessie's room opened and the doctor entered wearing scrubs and a lab coat. A nurse, a different one from the woman who'd earlier tended to Jessie, followed.

"Mr. Bannon," the doctor greeted as Race rose. "I am Dr. Vesely."

"Doctor," Race responded, reaching out and shaking her hand.

"I've had time to look over your daughter's x-rays and I'm happy to report it's a clean fracture and fairly common in these types of injuries," Dr. Vesely explained as she tapped on a tablet she held.

Race felt himself tensing again at the doctor's use of "these types of injuries". Jessie's injuries didn't fit into that category. She hadn't broken her arm from a mere fall or accident. But he reminded himself the woman was using professional courtesy. Trying to put him at ease.

Dr. Vesely turned the tablet around to show Race the black and white photos, pointing with the tip of her pen. "As long as she is careful, Jessie will need only to wear a cast for a couple of months."

"That's good news," Race said, though he didn't believe it himself. A clean and common fracture was still a fracture in his daughter's arm. Caused by a psychopath.

"The nurse and I will apply a temporary cast to keep her arm immobilized for about a week, and then her primary care doctor can put her in something more permanent," Dr. Vesely finished. "You are returning to America in a few days?"

"Yes." Race glanced at Jessie. She was still dozing. "Do you need me to step outside while you work?"

"Not at all. With the painkillers she was administered, she shouldn't feel any pain. But if she does, it'll be good for her to have a loving presence," Dr. Vesely assured.

Race relaxed as he nodded. "Just let me know what I can do."

Dr. Vesely smiled and gestured to a chair. "Take a seat and let us work. Having you near should be enough."

Race lowered himself into the chair Dr. Vesely had indicated. The nurse pulled in a cart from the hall laden with supplies. With sharp eyes he watched the women work. Jessie awoke once they began to move her arm. When she did, Dr. Vesely spoke quietly to her, introducing herself and explaining to Jessie what she and the nurse were doing.

Jessie nodded and remained calm as her arm was bandaged and stabilized.

The door to the room opened again suddenly, pulling Race's gaze to it. In the next second he was on his feet and intercepting Estella.

"Jessie!"

"She's okay, Stel," Race said quietly, trying to imbue the mother of his daughter with some of his calm.

"She's laying in a hospital bed. She's not okay!" Estella responded, her voice high and panicky.

Race began to push his ex-wife back toward the door. "Why don't we talk outside and let the professionals take care of her for right now?"

"Jessie, _mija_!" Estella called again.

"Mom?"

Race pursed his lips. Jessie's voice had taken on her mother's panicky tone. He knew Estella needed to see her daughter, be assured Jessie was okay, would be okay. But he also knew his daughter needed to stay calm while the doctors worked with her. So for now Estella was just going to have to rely on Race's assurances.

"Estella, she'll be okay. They're helping her. Let them."

She fought against him, but Race maneuvered her out into the dimly lit hall despite her efforts. When the door was closed, he simply wrapped his arms around her. She was stiff for a good minute and Race waited for her to fight her way past him, into Jessie's room, by her daughter's side. But once that minute was up, Estella relaxed into his embrace. Then held him tight.

"I met Jonny on my way in," Estella said softly after a long while. Her voice was muffled in his chest.

"What did he tell you?" Race asked. His head was lowered, mouth pressed against her hair. He could see silvery strands among the red.

"Not much. Just that Jessie was injured," Estella answered. She shook her head. Her voice quavered, on the edge of tears, when she asked, "Our baby is okay, right?"

Race sighed as he rubbed Estella's back, doing his best to calm her. He was so out of practice. He felt inadequate. "They've already treated her hypothermia and they've got her on an IV for dehydration. Right now they're putting her arm in a temporary sling-"

Estella's arms tightened even more around Race's torso. "Her arm's broken?"

"The doctor said it was a clean break. It should heal on its own," Race assured.

"What happened to our baby, Race?" Estella's voice sounded so small and scared.

 _She's not a baby anymore._

That's what Estella had said to him the night of the party, just twenty-four hours ago.

Race pulled back a little. He looked down in Estella's green eyes glittering with unshed tears. He placed one rough hand against the smooth skin of her cheek. "Basically what we'd guessed. Reznicek was behind it the whole time. He was hunting her like an animal. That's about all I know. Jessie hasn't said much, and I didn't want to push her," he responded as honestly as he could.

Estella pressed her face to Race's shirtfront one more. Race continued to silently hold her until she was ready to come up for air. After a long few minutes, Estella tilted her head back, resting her chin on Race's chest, to look up into his face again.

She still looked anxious and scared, her eyes surrounded by wrinkles, her forehead creased, her mouth set in a tight line. A part of Race wanted to do the things he'd done as a husband: kiss her, caress her hair, rub her back. But he'd lost those privileges. A long time ago.

"You brought her back like you promised, alive and safe. I knew you would. You always do," Estella said softly.

Race shook his head, impressed by the confidence she still had in him despite their differences over the years since their divorce. Blown away by it. But there'd always been one thing that brought them together. Jessie.

"I should have acted faster, gotten to her faster," he couldn't help apologizing. "Maybe she wouldn't be in the hospital if I had."

Estella unwrapped her arms from around Race and took his face in her hands. He was caught in her eyes again, the intensity of their gaze as they bore into his own. "You listen to me, Race Bannon. Jessie is in this hospital because of an evil man. But she's still alive and safe because of you. You taught her to survive and live and thrive in this dark world. And when she needed you, you were there."

Race felt himself losing it. He'd been holding strong for Jessie. But standing in the empty hallway of a Prague hospital, with only Estella with him, the cool and calm he'd been clinging to began to melt away. He did something he hadn't done in a long time. He broke down and cried in Estella's arms.

Estella held onto him for as long as he needed.


	28. Chapter 28

Title: _Love and War_ , 28/28

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: January 4, 2017

Category: JJHR, Adventure

Summary: Christmas in Prague doesn't go exactly as anybody planned.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I make no money off this story. I am only using the characters for my own unique story.

Author's Note: And this is the last chapter. The chapter all of you have been waiting for (you'll see what I mean once you read it) and dreading (oh no! The end!). I can't thank everyone who has supported this fic enough. From reviews to favorite to follows. Or even those who just come and read even if you never review or follow or anything. If you came, read and enjoyed, that's what mattered to me.

Also thank you to TJ12398 for her invaluable help in beta-ing this chapter and making it way more awesome than it already was. She made this chapter and all the cute Jonny and Jessie stuff in the entire fic just so much better. And I need to thank CubbiesFan1 again for all her input and help as well. This fic is as awesome as it is because of both of those guys!

Now go read the chapter. And I'll see ya'll in the next fic!

Chapter 28

Jessie studied the city of Prague, with its blanket of glittering snow, through the paned windows of Prague castle. The night sky sparkled with stars above the fairytale city and Jessie could almost believe she hadn't lived the last thirty-six hours.

The hallway she stood in was dark and quiet. Jessie was wearing slippers, flannel pajama pants and one her dad's hoodies since it fit over her arm and kept her warm. She could feel the cold from outside emanating through the window. Jessie lifted her right hand and placed her palm against the cool glass.

She'd been released from the hospital early that morning. Once her hydration levels were better, her hypothermia was gone, her arm was set, Dr. Vesely said she could see no reason for Jessie to remain. Jessie hadn't missed the relief on her parent's faces, which had mirrored exactly what she felt.

President Stasny, Benton, Hadji and Jonny had all been waiting to greet her when she arrived. A short meeting. Her pain medication made her so sleepy. Estella and Race had ushered her up to her room after only a few minutes.

Jessie had insisted, before going to bed, that she get cleaned up. She'd needed her mother's help, especially with the tangled mess that was her hair. The whole process took longer than Jessie expected, but when she finally climbed between the sheets of her bed, she was clean and her hair was neatly plaited.

She'd awoken once when her mom had brought her food with more medication. She'd woken again just about twenty minutes ago. The suite was dark and quiet. When Jessie had padded out into the anteroom, she'd found her dad sleeping on the couch and wondered if that had been his idea of her mom's.

It was a testament to how exhausted he was that he didn't wake up as Jessie skirted the couch and went to the entrance. One handed, she'd managed to unlock and open the door, then slip out, and still he hadn't woken.

Maybe she should have left her parents a note, but she didn't plan on being gone that long. She just couldn't sleep any longer, and she wasn't ready to take more pain meds. She didn't like the way they made her feel, even if they did help her sleep.

No, they trapped her in sleep with nightmares of still wandering the forest, running from Reznicek, who seemed to be constantly on her tail so she never got any relief. Or even worse, unable to do nothing but watch as he killed her dad. And unlike with regular nightmares, she didn't get to wake from them. The medication ensured she woke slowly, the nightmares lingering.

When she'd awoken in the middle of the night, Jessie had lain in her bed, tears running down her face, assuring herself they were just dreams. Seeing her dad on the couch had been such a relief.

So Jessie just needed to be up and out for a little bit. The halls of the castle were perfectly safe. She'd seen a couple of guards, but they'd ignored her. And after a little bit of walking she'd found this quiet stretch of hallway.

The cold of the windowpane had leeched the warmth from Jessie's palm, but she held it there on the glass. It still wasn't anywhere near as cold as she'd felt out in the forest…

"Jessie?"

She looked up. Her heart melted a little. Jonny was walking toward her. He was dressed similarly to her: slippers, pajama pants, a grey Rockport High hoodie. His hair was a gorgeous mess.

"What are you doing up?" he asked as he stopped in front of her.

He stood so close, looking down on her, that she could feel his light breathing in her hair. Maybe it was the pain meds still lingering, but she felt a little bit mesmerized by him.

"I couldn't sleep. I've spent way too long lying in a bed the last day or so. What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep either. I've been antsy all day." He paused and just looked at her for a moment. "Actually, that's not entirely true. I was hoping to see you."

"I'm right here," she said softly.

A smile spread across his mouth. He reached out and took her hand from the window, holding onto it. His warm touch immediately infused her cold skin.

"Haven't you spent enough time being cold?" he teased, though there was a nervousness to his voice.

"I suppose I have," Jessie replied vaguely, her eyes drifting to the Prague winter night.

"C'mon," Jonny said, tugging on her hand.

There was a couch against the wall opposite the window. Jonny drew her to it and pulled her down next him. Jessie ended up sitting with her legs across his lap, her good arm closest to him. He hadn't let go of her hand, and he cradled it now in both of his.

They were both quiet for a long time. Jessie's thoughts began to drift, but she didn't notice until Jonny spoke.

"Hey, Ace, where are you?"

Jessie turned to look at him, smiling for his benefit. "I'm right here with you."

"You weren't a second ago," he pressed.

Jessie inhaled and then leaned her head on his shoulder. "I guess I'm still trying to process it all," she admitted.

"You don't have to do that alone," Jonny said softly, his breath in her hair once more. "I'm right here with you."

Jessie gave his hand a momentary squeeze and he returned the gesture. "Half the time it doesn't even feel real. Just like it was some nightmare. I think that has to do with whatever they gave me for the pain."

"Lucky. I remember the whole terrifying ordeal, at least my side of it."

"Even seeing it as a dream, I still don't feel like I can escape it. And I just want to, for a little while. Have a few hours, maybe, where I can pretend it didn't happen at all."

"So then we don't talk about it," Jonny suggested.

Jessie lifted her head to look at him.

"Today we went on a walking tour of Prague," Jonny said with a wistful smile.

"Just the two of us," Jessie responded, mirroring that smile.

"I was Jaques, and you were…"

"Zuzanna. I've always loved how that name sounded. So elegant."

"Zuzanna it is. I bought you all the chocolate you wanted," Jonny said.

"Mmm. We definitely stopped at some cute little café for cocoa and pastries when we needed a break from the cold," Jessie supplied.

"You were adorable in your mittens and hat," Jonny teased.

And even though it was a fake compliment, Jessie still blushed.

"And you were so gallant the way you helped that old lady with her grocery bags, walking her all the way home. She thought you were too. I thought she was going to steal you away from me," Jessie said.

"No one could ever steal me away from you," Jonny assured her, getting serious again. "No one compares, Jess."

Jessie's head tilted forward on instinct. She wanted to be closer to him. Jonny pressed a kiss to her forehead. She closed her eyes for a moment, reveling in the pleasure of it all. She only half opened them, her gaze settling on the collar of his hoodie.

And the bruises peeking out above them on his neck.

Jessie sat up. She extracted her hand from his and oh so gently pulled down his collar. She didn't want to cause him any pain.

"Are these from-"

Jonny grabbed her hand again, pulling it away from his neck. "I thought we weren't talking about that."

"I didn't realize he'd-"

"You're sitting there with a broken arm and a gunshot wound and you're worried about a few bruises."

"I don't like you getting hurt. Period."

"I don't like you getting hurt, either."

"And my injuries don't mean I don't care about yours."

"I promise. I'm fine. In fact, most of the time I forget I have them until I irritate them."

Jessie huffed, her eyes still on Jonny's neck, a deep frown on her face. Jonny gently took her chin between his fingers and thumb to tilt her head up so she was looking at his face. His blue eyes were so intense her breath hitched.

"Can we maybe just focus on the fact that, despite both our injuries, we're sitting here together?"

Jessie took a calming breath and relaxed. She nodded her head and leaned on his shoulder again, though she was more careful about not bumping his neck this time. Neither she nor Jonny said anything for a few moments.

Jessie did her best to bring back that pleasant feeling from five minutes ago while she and Jonny were imagining their day in Prague together.

"Hey, I have something for you," Jonny spoke up, the first to break the silence.

"What?" Jessie moaned, keeping her head on his shoulder.

Jonny shrugged to get her to sit up once more. When Jessie lifted her head, Jonny held out his hand. Looking down at what he proffered, Jessie's eyes went wide and she gasped.

Delicately she took the necklace from him, a teardrop crystal on a gold herringbone chain. "Where did you find this? I thought I'd lost it."

"In one of the rooms at Reznicek's mansion. It's how we knew you were there," Jonny explained. He dug in his pocket once more. "We also found your medal."

But Jessie couldn't care less about the medal. She ran the pad of her thumb over the crystal, then slipped a fingertip underneath. The picture of her and Jonny popped up, floating in air above the crystal, arms around each other and smiling. Seeing it, Jessie couldn't help smiling in return.

She handed the necklace back to Jonny. "Help me put it on."

She didn't care that it didn't match her sweatshirt and pajamas as well as it had her party dress. She wanted to wear it and never take it off again.

Jessie reached back and lifted her braid out of the way as Jonny fiddled with the catch. He leaned forward, looking over Jessie's shoulder as he manipulated the tiny loop into the claw. It took a few moments and he cursed once under his breath.

"How do you make this look so easy?" he asked, adorably frustrated.

Jessie laughed at him. "Experience and smaller hands."

"Got it." Jonny leaned back, looking down to where the crystal lay against her dad's old hoodie. The contrast seemed to show off the gleam even more in the faint moonlight.

When Jessie lifted her face to look at Jonny he was still leaned in close and both her heart and her breath caught. Somehow she managed to get out a "thank you" without any breath support.

Jonny found her hand again, just for a moment. "You're welcome." He framed her face with his hands, using the lightest pressure, his fingers weaving into her hair

There was no hesitation this time. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers softly. Her eyes fluttered closed without thinking and she leaned in to increase the pressure of the kiss. Her mind was totally blank for the first time in days. It was just white space being slowly filled up by Jonny and the way his mouth felt against hers.

In the future when somebody asked her what her first kiss with Jonny was like, Jessie already knew how she would answer.

Perfection. And his lips were even softer than she imagined.

She did curse her broken arm. It made wrapping her arms around him very difficult. She had to settle for gripping the material of his sweatshirt. She pulled at the garment, persuading Jonny closer to her. He came willingly and then started moving his mouth against hers. He pulled his hands forward to frame her face again.

Jessie definitely didn't feel cold anymore. With each pass of his mouth against hers—and the way his hands caressed her face—she grew warmer and warmer. She couldn't imagine ever feeling cold again. She sighed a little in the kiss. And as if it were some cue, Jonny lifted his lips from hers.

Jessie's eyes drifted open. Jonny was staring at her. His mouth hung half open, looking like it had the potential to smile. But he wasn't smiling. He was looking at her.

Jessie lifted the corners of her lips. And then so did Jonny. And then Jessie couldn't resist kissing him again, stretching up to find his mouth with her own.

Less nervous now, and letting instinct take over, she swept her tongue across his lower lip. He made a soft sound that caused her stomach to flip. He took control of the kiss then, brushing his tongue against hers tentatively. Then she was the one making soft sounds against her will.

"Jonny," she whispered when he came up for air, but he didn't let her catch her breath, sinking right back into her.

In the future, if somebody asked her what her second kiss with Jonny was like, Jessie wouldn't answer. She'd just smile to herself because this was theirs alone.

She wanted to crawl into his lap and wrap her arms around his neck. She settled for pulling at his sweatshirt again. Her injuries prevented more. But Jessie rested assured that there would be more kisses like this. And many more types of kisses to experience with Jonny.

Like he sensed her need for closeness, Jonny's hands lazily slipped down from her face to rest comfortably against her neck. Jessie never wanted this kiss to end.

But such is not the nature of kisses and eventually they parted again. This time Jessie snuggled up to her best friend, resting her head on his shoulder once more. Jonny's arms slipped around her, carefully.

"Now I get what all the girls at school raved about," Jessie sighed happily.

Jonny's cheek rested against her hair and she could feel the movement of his smile. "Me too," he responded. "But that was nothing. Just wait 'til New Year's."

Jessie yawned suddenly. "My dad won't be happy if he finds us like this." But she made no effort to move away from her best friend.

Jonny settled his arms a little more snuggly around her. "I'm willing to risk it if you are."

Now Jessie smiled, letting her eyes close, feeling safe. "Deal."

They stayed like that until they fell asleep. Jessie didn't dream for the rest of the night. And in the morning their parents found them still sitting on the couch in the hallway, warm and cozy and asleep.

Of all her nights in Prague, this was the one Jessie would never forget.

 _The End_


End file.
